FAIRFAX, Va. – With a 10-win season and the program's first trip to the Atlantic 10 Tournament in 2015, the George Mason women's lacrosse team caught the attention of many.
That much was apparent on Thursday when the 2016 A-10 Women's Lacrosse Coaches Preseason Poll was released. The Patriots were tabbed to finish fourth in the 10-team league, marking Mason's highest projected finish since joining the A-10 prior to the 2014 season.
In head coach Jessy Morgan's first year at the helm in 2015, the Patriots won 10 games, notched their first winning season since 2008 and qualified for the four -team A-10 Women's Lacrosse Championship for the first time in program history. The Patriots tied Duquesne for third place with a 5-3 record in league play last year. They grabbed the fourth seed in the A-10 tournament before losing to No. 1 seed and eventual champ Massachusetts, which won its seventh straight title.
UMass was again picked to win the league, receiving all 10 first-place votes. Richmond followed in second and Duquesne was projected to finish third. The Patriots received 70 points – just two behind Duquesne – and were picked to finish fourth. They will try to return to the A-10 tournament, which has expanded this year from four teams to six teams.
Mason returns three All-Atlantic 10 Conference selections from last year – junior Alexa McGovern (first team), Jacquelyn Spalding (second team) and Gina Purdue (second team). McGovern led the team with 53 draw controls and ranked second with 32 goals and 38 points. Spalding led the Patriots in goals (35), assists (22) and points (57). Purdue was second behind McGovern with 50 draw controls and also had the second-most caused turnovers with 12 in addition to 16 ground balls.
The Patriots will head to Princeton next weekend for two preseason scrimmages against Princeton and UMBC on Feb. 13. They open the season at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24 with a home game against Mount St. Mary's.
Atlantic 10 Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Massachusetts – 100 pts (10 first-place votes)
2. Richmond – 88 pts
3. Duquesne – 72 pts
4. George Mason – 70 pts
5. La Salle – 58 pts
6. George Washington – 54 pts
7. Davidson – 38 pts
8. Saint Joseph's – 36 pts
9. St. Bonaventure – 23 pts
10. VCU – 11 pts*
*VCU will compete in its first full season as a Division I and Atlantic 10 member
