Towson Tabbed as Preseason Women?s Lacrosse Favorite

Towson Tabbed as Preseason Women?s Lacrosse Favorite

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RICHMOND, Va. (January 24, 2013) - Defending champion Towson was predicted to finish atop the CAA women's lacrosse standings again in 2013 according to a vote by the league's head coaches.

The Tigers received seven first-place votes for a total of 49 points to top the preseason poll. James Madison was selected second with 41 points, while Drexel received one first place vote and 35 points to earn the third spot. Delaware was picked to finish fourth with 28 points followed by Hofstra, William & Mary, Old Dominion and George Mason.

Towson, coming off its fourth CAA title in the past eight seasons, returns nine starters including first team All-CAA and third-team IWLCA All-American Alexa Demski. The senior defender ranked third in the CAA last season with 20 caused turnovers (1.25 p/g) while adding 39 ground balls and 11 draw controls. Towson will look to first team All-CAA selections Andi Raymond and Kelly Custer for its offense this season. Both players contributed 35 goals apiece, while Raymond added 33 assists, which ranked second in the CAA. Towson will also be relying heavily on sophomore goalkeeper Kelsea Donnelly, who enters the season as a starter for the first time in her career. Donnelly appeared in eight games last season, tallying 16 saves on 43 shots faced (.516 sv pct).

James Madison will look to build off its 11-7 (6-1 CAA) record in 2012 and win its third CAA title in four seasons. Casey Ancarrow, the 2012 CAA Player of the Year and a third-team All-American, returns for her senior season after leading the league with 2.61 goals per game (34 g) while adding 35 draw controls and 15 ground balls. JMU also returns its leading scorer Amy Roguski (40 g) and senior midfielder Ali Curwin (4 g, 2 a). Senior Amanda Matthews (14 gb, 12 ct) will lead a veteran Dukes' defense, while All-CAA Rookie Team selection Schylar Healy will be in the JMU net after ranking third in the CAA in goals-against-average (8.95) and fourth in save percentage (.437) last year.

Drexel enters the 2013 season fresh off its 11-6 (4-3) record in 2012. The Dragons return three key pieces to their offense from last season in Alyse Maiden, Kelli Joran, and Amanda Norcini. Maiden, a senior attacker, was named to the All-CAA second team last season after netting 36 goals and 19 assists. Joran and Norcini return in the Drexel midfield after being named to the All-CAA first and second teams last year. Joran tallied 29 goals in 2012 while totaling 40 draw controls and 20 ground balls. Norcini tallied 28 goals last season with 13 of them being free-position-goals, enough to lead the CAA.

Delaware will look to improve from its 5-12 (3-4) record from last season. Leading the Blue Hens will be junior attacker Chelsea Fay and sophomore midfielder Caitlin McCartney. Fay netted 35 goals for the Blue Hens last season while tallying a team-leading 41 points. She made her presence felt around the net last season with a CAA-leading 101 shots on goal (5.94 p/g). McCartney, the 2012 CAA Rookie of the Year, also netted 35 goals and picked up a team-leading 37 ground balls while adding 39 draw controls. First team All-CAA selection Angela Biciocchi will anchor the Blue Hen defense after totaling 30 ground balls, 24 draw controls, and 16 caused turnovers last year.

The CAA also announced it preseason All-CAA women's lacrosse team, which was voted on by the league's head coaches.

JMU's Ancarrow headlined the team by being selected as the CAA Preseason Player of the Year. Joining Anacarrow on the team from JMU are Healy, Matthews, and Roguski.

Towson landed a league-best five players on the squad with Custer, Demski, Michelle Dufault, Raymond, and Ashley Waldron. Drexel's Joran, Maiden, and Norcini were also named to the team. Delaware placed three on the team with Biciocchi, Shannon Burns, and McCarthy while Shelby Davis of Old Dominion rounded out the squad.

 

2013 CAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Towson (7 First Place Votes) 49

2. James Madison 41

3. Drexel (1 First Place Vote) 35

4. Delaware 28

5. Hofstra 24

6. William & Mary 22

7. Old Dominion 13

8. George Mason 8

 

2013 PRESEASON ALL-CAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE TEAM

Name, School, Position, Class, Hometown (2012 stats)

Casey Ancarrow, James Madison, A, Sr., Jarrettsville, Md. (34 g, 9 a)

Alyse Maiden, Drexel, A, Sr., Washington Township, N.J. (36 g, 19 a)

Andi Raymond, Towson, A, Jr., Ada, Mich. (35 g, 33 a)

Amy Roguski, James Madison, A, Jr., Sykesville, Md. (40 g, 19 dc)

Shannon Burns, Delaware, M, Jr., Springfield, Pa. (15 g, 47 dc)

Kelly Custer, Towson, M, Sr., Aston, Pa. (35 g, 41 dc)

Kelli Joran, Drexel, M, Sr., Downingtown, Pa. (29 g, 40 dc)

Caitlin McCartney, Delaware, M, So., Doylestown, Pa. (35 g, 37 gb)

Amanda Norcini, Drexel, M, Jr., Wayne, Pa. (28 g, 45 dc)

Ashley Waldron, Towson, M, Sr., Clay, N.Y. (23 g, 17 gb)

Angela Biciocchi, Delaware, D, Sr., Potomac, Md. (30 gb, 24 dc)

Shelby Davis, ODU, D, Sr., Elmira, N.Y. (25 gb, 11 ct)

Alexa Demski, Towson, D, Sr., Baltimore, Md. (39 gb, 20 ct)

Michelle Dufault, Towson, D, So., Fairport, N.Y. (19 gb, 14 ct)

Amanda Matthews, James Madison, D, Sr., Ellicott City, Md. (14 gb, 12 ct)

Schylar Healy, James Madison, GK, So., Eldersburg, Md. (8.95 gaa, .437 sv pct)

 

CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Casey Ancarrow, James Madison

 

Honorable Mention (players receiving multiple votes): Krystin Mackrides, A, William & Mary; Ashleigh Rohrback, A, Towson; Jill Maier, M, Hofstra; Katie Stillwell, M, William & Mary; Katie Leech, D, Towson; Alex Zaugra, GK, Delaware