STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Feb. 13, 2002 -- The Penn State women's lacrosse team has been tabbed 12th by Lacrosse Magazine in the publication's preseason poll. Last season the Lions finished 8-10 on the season under the direction of first-year head coach and former Nittany Lion letterwinner
Suzanne Isidor.
Penn State faces 11 of the Top 20 teams in the preseason poll, including four of the top five. Defending National Champion Maryland tops the poll, followed by Duke, Princeton, Georgetown and Loyola. Seven of the Lion's first nine games are against ranked opponents, including Friday, March 29 at Maryland and Sunday, March 31 vs. North Carolina.
"We have a tough schedule as you look at the 17-game slate, and we have to be ready to play each one," said Isidor. "There aren't too many games where we can stop and breathe."
Penn State returns 24 letterwinners from last season's team and adds 11 freshmen to the roster. A core of 10 seniors look to provide the leadership necessary to make a run in the NCAA Tournament, led by senior co-captains B.J. Lucey and Stacey Saggese. Penn State also returns last season's leading scorers in Katie Jeschke and Colleen O'Hara, and All-American Alison DeCecco.
Lacrosse Magazine Top 20
1. Maryland
2. Duke
3. Princeton
4. Georgetown
5. Loyola
6. North Carolina
7. Virginia
8. James Madison
9. Dartmouth
12. Penn State
13. William and Mary
14. Johns Hopkins
15. Hofstra
16. Yale
17. Notre Dame
18. Old Dominion
19. Delaware
20. Boston University
