Jan. 26, 2016 Official Big South release
CONWAY - The Coastal Carolina women's lacrosse team has been selected by the league's head coaches to finish third in the Big South Conference's preseason poll, the league announced Tuesday. It's the program's highest preseason selection, after being picked to finish fifth or lower in each of the last three seasons.
The Chanticleers were voted on all across the board, receiving 60 points overall from three second-place votes, three third-place votes, one fourth-place vote, one fifth-place vote and one sixth-place vote.
Winthrop was the top selection to win the Big South Conference Championship, receiving seven of the nine first-place votes and finishing with 78 points. High Point was picked to finish second in 2016 after finishing with 68 points from one first-place vote, four second-place votes, three third-place votes and one fourth-place vote. Rounding out the preseason poll are Liberty (fourth place, 59 points), Campbell (fifth place, 43 points), Longwood (sixth place, 40 points), Presbyterian (seventh place, 24 points), Gardner-Webb (eighth place, 21 points) and Radford (ninth place, 12 points).
Two Chanticleers also received individual accolades as senior attacker Keri White and senior defender Maddy Ciardi were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. White tallied 53 points on 39 goals and 14 assists last season, setting career-high marks in points and goals. Ciardi, who led the 2015 Chants with 23 caused turnovers, was also selected by the coaches as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The Chanticleer women's lacrosse program enters its fourth year of competition, coming off an 11-6 season that included five Big South Conference victories. First-year head coach Kristen Selvage and company return 25 players from last year's roster, including four who finished with double-digits in goals in 2015.
Offensively, Coastal returns 13 of its top 14 scorers from last season. White, Sara Nolan, Alicia Geiter and Maggie Carr, who combined for 98 goals last year, are all back for 2016. On the opposite side of the field, the Chants will turn to Ciardi, along with junior Lauren Thomas -- veterans that Selvage says will anchor the defense. The Chanticleers' roster will be rounded out by seven newcomers including Haley Alexander, Harley Barrett, Madeline Bromley, Julia Lucas, Brie Perkins, Rachel Stevens and Jenny Thompson.
Coastal's 2015 lacrosse season begins on Feb. 19, when they host Elon. The Chants will then travel to Jacksonville, Fla., to take on Jacksonville on Feb. 28.
2016 Big South Conference Preseason Women's Lacrosse Poll
Team (first-place votes) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Points
- Winthrop (7) 7 1 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 78
- High Point (1) 1 4 3 1 -- -- -- -- -- 68
- Coastal Carolina -- 3 3 1 1 1 -- -- -- 60
- Liberty (1) 1 1 2 3 2 -- -- -- -- 59
- Campbell -- -- -- 2 3 4 -- -- -- 43
- Longwood -- -- -- 1 3 4 1 -- -- 40
- Presbyterian College -- -- -- -- -- -- 6 3 -- 24
- Gardner-Webb -- -- -- 1 -- -- 1 5 2 21
- Radford -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 1 7 12
Note: points are based on a weighted system, with first-place votes receiving 9 points, followed by 8 points for second-place, and so on.
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
ATT Allie Foard, Sr., High Point
ATT Katy Pridemore, Soph., Liberty
ATT Keri White, Sr., Coastal Carolina
MF Shannon Gallagher, Sr., Winthrop
MF Kallie Burton, Sr., Liberty
MF Erica Perrotta, Soph., High Point
MF Sarah Butler, Sr., Longwood
MF Leah Pace, Sr., High Point
D Maddy Ciardi, Sr., Coastal Carolina
D Erin O'Hara, Jr., Campbell
D Colleen Ekert, Sr., Liberty
GK Alaina Girani, Soph., Winthrop
AL Loren Day, Sr., Campbell
AL Hayley Krause, Sr., Winthrop
AL Shiloh McKenzie, Sr., Longwood
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Allie Foard, Sr., High Point
PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Maddy Ciardi, Sr., Coastal Carolina
