Syracuse is Preseason Favorite in BIG EAST
1/23/2009 4:32:44 PM | Women's Lacrosse
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Syracuse is the unanimous choice to defend its BIG EAST women’s lacrosse regular-season title in a preseason vote by the conference coaches. The Orange received all seven first-place votes. In addition, senior Katie Rowan and junior Lindsay Rogers were picked to repeat as the conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. The pair was among five Syracuse players chosen to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
The Orange won its first outright BIG EAST regular-season title last season when it went unbeaten (5-0) for the first time in league. SU became just the sixth team in the eight-year history of the league to go undefeated in conference play. Syracuse, under the direction of second-year head coach Gary Gait, returns nine starters and 18 letterwinners from a year ago when it won a school-record 18 games and claimed its second straight BIG EAST Tournament title. The Orange earned the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Championship where it made the school’s first appearance in the national semifinals.
Syracuse tallied 49 points and received seven first-place votes as coaches could not vote for their own schools. Georgetown, which received one first-place vote, was picked second with 42 points, while Notre Dame was third with 38 points. Rutgers was picked fourth (29 points), followed by Loyola (27 points), Louisville (17 points), Connecticut (15 points) and Cincinnati (7 points).
Rowan was the unanimous choice as the Preseason Player of the Year after leading the nation in scoring and tying the NCAA single-season assists record last season. Rowan earned the conference’s Attack Player of the Year and tournament MVP awards, and was a Tewaaraton Trophy and Honda Award finalist in 2008. Rogers earned the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award last season after anchoring the Orange’s defense that held its opponent to less than 10 goals 14 times.
Rowan and Rogers were two of five members of the Orange to earn all-preseason honors. Joining the pair are juniors Halley Quillinan and Christina Dove and sophomore Liz Hogan. Syracuse’s five all-preseason picks are the most for any school in the league.
Syracuse opens the 2009 campaign on February 15 when it hosts LeMoyne at noon in the Carrier Dome.
2009 BIG EAST Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
| Points | |
| 1. SYRACUSE (7) | 49 |
| 2. Georgetown (1) | 42 |
| 3. Notre Dame | 38 |
| 4. Rutgers | 29 |
| 5. Loyola (Md.) | 27 |
| 6. Louisville | 17 |
| 7. Connecticut | 15 |
| 8. Cincinnati | 7 |
2009 BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
*Katie Rowan, Syracuse, Senior, Attack
2009 BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Lindsay Rogers, Syracuse, Junior, Defense
2009 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
* Shaylyn Blaney, Notre Dame, Sophomore, Attack/Midfield
Shannon Burke, Notre Dame, Senior, Midfield/Defense
* Jillian Byers, Notre Dame, Senior, Attack
Brooke Cantwell, Rutgers, Junior, Midfield
Christina Dove, Syracuse, Junior, Midfield
Molly Ford, Georgetown, Junior, Attack
Grace Gavin, Loyola, Sophomore, Midfield
* Liz Hogan, Syracuse, Sophomore, Goalkeeper
* Ashby Kaestner, Georgetown, Junior, Midfield
* Halley Quillinan, Syracuse, Junior, Attack/Midfield
* Lindsay Rogers, Syracuse, Junior, Defense
* Katie Rowan, Syracuse, Senior, Attack
* Jordan Trautman, Georgetown, Senior, Defense
* unanimous selections
