Lake Point, Ga. -

2017 ASUN WLAX Preseason Team

The 2016-17 Coastal Carolina women's lacrosse team was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) in a polling of the league's head coaches, it was announced Friday. The Chanticleers are entering their first season of competition in the ASUN after 4 seasons as a member of the Big South Conference.

Jacksonville was selected the preseason favorite, garnering five first place votes and totaling 111 points. The Dolphins was the top seed in the conference tournament last season, but lost to the fourth seeded Titans of Detroit in semifinal play.

Old Dominion, the 2016 ASUN tournament champion, was picked second with 104 points and the rest of the first place votes. Furman (84), Coastal Carolina (83), and Detroit Mercy (82), finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively. Mercer (65) took sixth, followed by Kennesaw State (57), Central Michigan (54), Stetson (47), Delaware State (20), and Howard (19) to finish out the poll.

The league also announced it Preseason All-Conference team on Friday.

The preseason Player of the Year is Detroit Mercy's midfielder Kaitlyn Wandelt, and Defensive Player of the year is Furman's Samantha Eckels.

The Chanticleers are entering their second season under head coach Kristen Selvage, who finished 2016 with an 11-7, 5-3 record. The Chants will welcome the return of Keri White, Haley Kyger, and Alicia Geiter, all missed last season due to injuries. In all 17 players that have started at least one game for Coastal and 19 newcomers will take the field this season. This year's captains will be White, Kyger, and Gabby Vujanic.

"We are honored to be named in the top five of the ASUN," Selvage said. "It is a good place to be and it gives us the opportunity to prove our place and earn our way up the ladder."

Offensively, Haley Alexander who tied the freshman record with 27 goals last season and helped the Chanticleers average 12.38 goals a game in the Big South last season. White is hoping to have a breakout year and get back to 2015 form where she had 53 points, (39 goals, and 14 assists). Newcomer Ali Davis, a US Lacrosse All-American, could be a surprise with her knack for scoring goals and relentless energy.

On the defensive side, Coastal will be led by Karley Barreno and Lauren Thomas who have combined for 91 ground balls, 56 caused turnovers, and 46 draw controls. Freshmen Emily D'Orsaneo and Megan Kilpatrick have turned heads in the offseason with their play and could figure prominently within the game-plan.

The Chanticleers will open the season Feb. 24, when they host Cincinnati at Brooks Stadium.

2017 ASUN Conference Preseason Women's Lacrosse Coach's Poll

2017 ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team