W&L Picks up Nine First Place Votes, One Each for R-MC, SU

FOREST, Va. --- Five-time defending ODAC champion Washington and Lee University leads the 2015 ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll, garnering 99 total points and nine first place votes from the league's head coaches.  Roanoke College sits second with 84 points, while Randolph-Macon College occupies third with 78 tallies and one top nod.  Shenandoah University received the remaining first place vote, holding down the fourth spot with 74 points.

The Generals captured the program's fifth straight and ODAC record 15th overall ODAC championship in 2014 with a 9-6 victory over Guilford College. W&L earned the league's automatic bid and a first round bye into the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Tournament. The Generals hosted Denison in second round action and topped the Big Red, 13-5.  WLU then advanced to the third round where they eventually fell to TCNJ, 13-7.

The Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) recently announced its 2015 Division III Preseason Poll and Washington and Lee (17-3 overall, 10-0 ODAC in 2014) sits at No. 12. W&L will be without five all conference players this season, but still return four senior captains, including one all league player. Goalkeeper Cara Mulligan earned All-ODAC First Team honors after recording 114 saves and a 7.89 goals-against average.  Defender Katie McCartin will join Mulligan as part of the Generals' defensive unit that registered a 7.55 GAA. McCartin picked up 15 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers. Midfielder Sammy Yates and attacker Melissa Coggins return to spearhead W&L's offense. The pair combined for 53 points on 23 goals and 30 assists.

Roanoke (9-8, 7-3) enjoys the return of three all conference players to Salem this spring. The Maroons' potent offense will be led by two returning first team players in attacker Claire Feeney and midfielder Darragh Evants. The scrappy duo combined for 169 points on 123 goals and 46 assists. Feeney also scooped up 31 ground balls and won 48 draw controls, while Evarts collected 48 ground balls, won a team-best 116 draw controls and connected on 17-of-33 free position goals. RC's defense will be spearheaded by All-ODAC Third Teamer Alexa Germany. Germany tallied one goal, one assist and picked up 17 ground balls. Goalkeeper Lauren Curtin ranked fourth in the ODAC with 154 saves.

Randolph-Macon (10-8, 6-4) welcomes back four All-ODAC players from a year ago, including the ODAC Rookie of the Year, Susie Snee. Snee, a midfielder, tallied 25 goals and two assists, while collecting 45 ground balls and winning 46 draw controls. She also caused 31 turnovers.  First teamer Jenelle Whitman joins Snee in the midfield after leading the conference in draw controls (145). Whitman also registered 66 points on 54 goals and 12 assists, while gathering 57 ground balls. Second team attacker Katie Russo (24 G, 33 A, 32 GB) and third team attacker Shannon Jamieson (43 G, 13 A, 11-of-29 FPG) are back to aid Whitman on offense. The Yellow Jackets' defense will be led by a third team pick, Natalie Schnell. Schnell tallied nine goals and one assist, while also picking up 19 ground balls and grabbing 10 draw controls.

Shenandoah (11-7, 8-2) has been near the top of the league standings each year it has played under the ODAC banner, and the Hornets expect much of the same in 2015 with three all-league performers back in Winchester. SU's midfield returns Liz Bereit and Brittany Arndt. Bereit collected second team recognition after finding the back of the net 40 times and dishing out 27 helpers. She also caused 29 turnovers, picked up 43 ground balls and connected on 16-of-27 free position goals. Arndt tallied 15 goals, three assists and won 52 draw controls. Defender Juli Carbone will return to the Hornets' defense after picking up 31 ground balls and causing 16 turnovers.

Guilford College (12-7, 8-2) and reigning ODAC Coach of the Year Sarah Lamphier have some questions to answer on offense with the loss of the league's top two goal scorers. However, the Quakers still return two first teamers in midfielder Eleanora Keene and defender Summer Fowler. Keene recorded 57 goals and seven assists and was second in the conference in ground balls (61) and draw controls (118). She also caused 25 turnovers. Fowler scooped up 49 ground balls, won 25 draw controls and caused 19 turnovers as a member of the Quakers' defense.

Lynchburg College (7-9, 6-4) has a pair of All-ODAC players in tow for the 2015 campaign. Midfielder Katherine Francis earned second team honors after registering 34 points on 28 goals and six assists, while also winning 58 draw controls. Defender Grace Finnerty collected third team accolades as a member of the Hornets' defensive unit that scooped up 31 ground balls and caused 17 turnovers. Also back to direct LC's backline between the pipes is Hailey Bossert. Bossert's GAA (10.62) and save percentage (47.3) were third in the ODAC, while her 141 saves were fifth.

Bridgewater College (6-11, 3-7) and Virginia Wesleyan College (6-10, 4-6), separated by just one point in this preseason poll, now have one season under their belt with new leadership. BC welcomes back all four of its All-ODAC players at every position. A second team pick, defender Caroline Augsburger returns to the Eagles' backline after causing 35 turnovers (3rd in the ODAC) and scooping up 40 ground balls. Goalkeeper Rachel Gruber recorded a 49.6 save percentage (2nd in the ODAC), 173 saves (3rd) and a 10.67 gaa (4th) on the way to third team honors. The Eagles' offense will be spearheaded by two third team choices, attacker Caroline Fletcher and midfielder Jesse Colligan. Fletcher posted 51 points on 38 goals and 13 assists. She also won 44 draw controls and picked up 24 ground balls. Colligan tallied 34 goals, 10 assists and netted 13-of-30 free position goals. VWC also returns its two all league players. Defenders Amari Agee and Kelly Jacobson return to lead the Marlins' defense. Agee was second in the ODAC in caused turnovers (39) and third in ground balls (59), while Jacobson was fourth in the league in caused turnovers (34). VWC also welcomes back its top two goal scorers in the midfield. Brooke Cabeceiras and Carla Williams combined for 65 points on 56 goals and 10 assists.

Randolph College (5-12, 2-8), Sweet Briar College (3-12, 1-9) and Hollins University (1-11, 0-10) all return talent to their squads. The WildCats welcome back a strong offense led by Taylor Klevenz, who tallied 56 goals and 20 assists. Klevenz also connected on 17-of-33 free position shots, collected 33 ground balls, won 54 draw controls and caused 21 turnovers. Midfielder Taylor Riccardi (8 G, 16 A, 30 GB, 29 DC) is also back to help Klevenz up top. Goalkeeper Samantha Fagone stopped a league-best 199 shots last year. The Vixens return its top-three point scorers. Attacker Kim Orchowski and midfielders Monica Ewansik and Allison McLamb are back to lead SBC's offense after combining for 107 points on 67 goals and 40 assists. Hollins features attackers Jessie Deese and Christina Havrila. Deese scored three goals, picked up 18 ground balls, caused 14 turnovers and won 13 draw controls, while Havrila netted one goal and scooped up 26 ground balls.

Listed below is the full 2015 ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll.  For more information on ODAC women's lacrosse, visit any of the participating school's websites, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook.  You can also follow the ODAC on Twitter @odacathletics. 

2015 ODAC WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes