FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - The York Spartans earned the top spot in the 2020 Capital Athletic Conference Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll after taking down the previous sixteen-time defending champion Salisbury in last year's conference championship match. The Spartans compiled four first-place votes and 24 points, edging out the Sea Gulls (22 points, 2 first-place votes) as the preseason favorite in a vote among the conference head coaches. 

Mary Washington took third in the poll with 17 points, while St. Mary's landed in fourth place with 12 points, followed by Christopher Newport (10) and Southern Virginia (6) in fifth and sixth, respectively.

Most CAC teams begin their seasons next week with conference play set to start the last weekend in March. 

The CAC Tournament will feature six teams this spring with the top two seeds receiving a bye, beginning with the first round on Saturday, Apr. 25 and culminating with the championship game on Saturday, May 2. 

2020 CAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll

Below is a brief preview of each team entering the 2020 campaign: 

1) The YORK COLLEGE women's lacrosse squad enters the 2020 campaign with a new description, defending champions. After going 0-5 in CAC Championship games, the Spartans finally captured their first title with their 13-11 win over Salisbury last spring. The Spartans advanced to their third straight Elite Eight before finishing the season with a school-record 17 wins. 

The Spartans return three All-Americans on offense highlighted by two-time first-team selection Meghan Fox. Fox set a school record with 93 points on 69 goals and 24 assists. Two-time All-American Devin Hursey registered 76 points last spring with a school-record 43 assists. Second-team selection Regan Cook also returns to the Spartans after registering 65 points on 52 goals and 13 assists as a junior. 

York must replace the IWLCA and CAC Player of the Year Nicole Clauter along with first team midfielder Claudia DiVenti and second team picks Caitlin Rankin and Abby Smith. 

CAC Coach of the Year Jen Muston welcomes in a strong recruiting class that will make an impact on the Spartan fortunes in 2020.

Number of returning starters: 8 (Regan Cook, Devin Hursey, Meghan Fox, Alexis Hart, Hayley McCormick, Jordan Conley, Chloe MacDonald, Natalie Janoski) 

Notable statistics: The Spartans return their top three scorers headlined by Meghan Fox (93 points), Devin Hursey (76 points), and Regan Cook (65 points) ... York must replace CAC Player of the Year and IWCLA Division III Defender of the Year Nicole Clauter ... the Spartans won a school record 17 games last year as they made their third straight NCAA Tournament Elite Eight berth.

Returning All-CAC performers: Meghan Fox (2017 CAC ROY, 1st, 2018, and 2019 1st Team), Regan Cook (1st in 2017, 2018, 2019), Devin Hursey (1st in 2018, 2019)

Returning All-Americans: Meghan Fox (1st in 2019, 2018), Regan Cook (2nd in 2019), Devin Hursey (2nd in 2019, 3rd in 2018)

2) Coming off a 20-4 overall record and finishing as national finalists just last year, SALISBURY looks to get back to the finals as the third-ranked team in the nation entering the 2020 season. Head coach Jim Nestor, entering his 19th season, has high hopes for the team. Nestor returns All-American junior Alexis Strobel on the attacking end. Strobel finished last season totaling 96 points with a team-high 73 assists and 23 goals. Strobel's 73 assists also ranked second in the country. Salisbury also returns All-CAC Second Team defender Kendall Bannan and goalkeeper Skye Graham along with senior defender Anna Wehland.

Number of returning starters: Four- Anna Wehland (Sr., D), Skye Graham (Sr. GK), Kendall Bannan (Sr., D), Carrie Hesen (Jr., D)

Notable statistics: (Returning leader in CAC in goals, approaching CAC record in saves, broke single-season points record in 2017, etc.):

• Alexis Strobel 
  • Led the conference and ranked second in the nation in assists with 73 last season
• Emma Skoglund 
  • Led team with 54 goals; fifth in CAC

Returning All-CAC performers: (name, position, # of All-CAC accolades)

• Alexis Strobel, Attack,  one First Team All-CAC
  • Strobel also earned Second-Team All ECAC honors last season, her first ECAC award.
• Kendall Bannan, Defender, two Second Team All-CAC
• Skye Graham, Goalie, two Second Team All-CAC
• Emma Skoglund, Attacker, 2018 CAC Rookie of the Year

Returning All-Region performers: (name, position, # of All-Region accolades)

• Alexis Strobel, Attack, one All-Region First Team Honor
• Kendall Bannan, Defender, one All-Region Second Team Honor
• Skye Graham, Goalie, one All-Region Second Team Honor

Returning All-Americans: (name, position, # of All-American accolades)

• Alexis Strobel, Attack, one All-American accolade

Other:

• Anna Wehland, Defender, Elite 90 Winner for the second year in a row
  • Elite 90 is an award given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing in the final four weekend                    

3) The MARY WASHINGTON women's lacrosse team enters the 2020 season ranked twelfth in the country according to the IWLCA Preseason Poll. The Eagles finished 16-5 last year as they advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, losing 11-6 at Wesleyan. The Eagles welcome back five starters, including All-Region performers Rylie Cole and Paige Haskins. Senior Jenny Bosserman is expected to provide leadership on the defensive side of the ball, and sophomores Sam Stachowiak and Maya Levin return significant midfield experience. The Eagle schedule will be challenging as they will face five teams ranked in the preseason top-10.

Number of Returning Starters: 4

Returning All-CAC Performers:
Paige Haskins, Mid., 1st Team in 2019, 2nd Team in 2018

Rylie Cole, Mid., 1st Team in 2019

Returning All-Region Performers:
Paige Haskins, Mid., 2nd Team in 2018 and 2019

Rylie Cole, Mid., 1st Team in 2019

4) The ST. MARY'S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND women's lacrosse team heads into their 2020 campaign looking to build off of their nine wins from last year. Under the guidance of head coach Erin McDonnell, the Seahawks return All-CAC defender Mary Kate Fitz-Patrick and CAC Rookie of the Year Lucy Gussio to a talented roster. On the offensive side, the Seahawks return two of their top three goal scorers in Kate Bartholomew and Gussio. Defensively, Stephanie Heffron will lead the group after recording a team-high 28 caused turnovers last season.

Returning Starters: 7

Notable Statistics: Kate Bartholomew: fourth in CAC in goals with 55, seventh in CAC in points with 74, 10th in draw controls in the CAC with 56; Stephanie Heffron: ninth in CAC in ground balls with 43, seventh in the CAC in draw controls with 66, seventh in the CAC in caused turnovers with 28.

Returning All-CAC Performers:

Mary Kate Fitz-Patrick, D, All-CAC Second Team

Lucy Gussio, M, CAC Rookie of the Year