Feb. 24, 2003

FAIRFAX, Va. (Feb. 24, 2003) - George Mason University is rated 20th in the nation in the preseason Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) poll, which was recently released.

The Patriots, who ended the 2002 campaign ranked 20th nationally with a 9-9 overall mark (4-4 CAA), will look to improve on its record-setting season of a year ago and make its first trip to the NCAA Tournament. Mason returns 16 letterwinners and eight starters, including four All-CAA honorees from a last season.

Princeton, last year's national champions, are atop the preseason poll while Colonial Athletic Association opponents James Madison and Old Dominion are No. 15 and No. 17.

George Mason opens its season Tuesday at No. 6 Maryland on February 25 at 2 p.m. on the Artificial Turf Field in College Park, MD. That contest begins a four-game road swing to open the season for the Patriots, who host their first home game, Friday, March 21, at GMU Stadium against CAA foe Hofstra.

2003 IWLCA Preseason Poll
1. Princeton, 189 (4 first-place votes)
2. Duke, 187 (4)
3. Virginia, 184 (2)
4. Georgetown, 173
5. Loyola, 146
6. Maryland, 136
7. Notre Dame, 135
8. Vanderbilt, 135
9. Cornell, 121
10. North Carolina, 114
11. Ohio State, 109
12. Dartmouth, 82
13. Yale, 71
14. Syracuse, 69
15. James Madison, 66
16. Penn State, 65
17. Old Dominion, 44
18. Johns Hopkins, 33
19. Richmond, 20
20. George Mason, 11