Photo by: Jeff Sochko/Tim Cowie Photography
Wildcats Picked Sixth in Preseason Poll; Begin 2021 Season Next Friday
2/4/2021 3:03:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- With the start of the 2021 season just over a week away, the Atlantic 10 Conference released its women's lacrosse preseason poll this afternoon, selecting the Davidson Wildcats to finish the season in sixth among the league's standings.
Davidson's sixth place finish is up one spot from last season's poll, after the 'Cats ended their shortened 2020 season at 2-4, including two losses to top-25 teams.
Richmond and UMass finished first and second in the poll, respectively, with the Spiders earning six first-place votes and 96 total points while the Minutewomen received four votes and 93 points. Saint Joseph's (77), George Mason (68) and Duquesne (62) rounded out the top five, before the Wildcats came in at number six with 40 points.
The 'Cats will open up the 2021 campaign facing their fifth nationally-ranked opponent in the last six years, by taking on the No. 15 Duke University Blue Devils next Friday night from inside Richardson Stadium. Davidson's meeting with Duke will be the seventh meeting between the two teams, dating back to 2009, as the Wildcats will look to defeat the Blue Devils for the first time in program history.
Davidson returns 78 percent of its scoring from a season ago, including two of its three leading scorers. Sophomore Anna West and junior Gianna New combined for 19 goals and three assists last season, while the two recorded 10 and nine goals, respectively. New also returns as the Wildcats' leading draw controller, winning 27 draws during the 2020 season, while West shot a team-best 2-of-3 on free position attempts one year ago.
The 'Cats will also have an advantage in the backfield, as defender Natalie Junior is back for her senior season, after earning the program's first ever A-10 Preseason All-Conference recognition last year. A Pennsylvania native, Junior forced a team-high 12 caused turnovers in 2020, and grabbed 14 ground balls.
Kim Wayne brought 10 new 'Cats onto the scene for the 2021 season, adding depth to all four of the Wildcats' position groups.
After opening up the season with No. 15 Duke on Friday, Feb. 12, Davidson will have seven more non-conference tests before beginning Atlantic 10 play on March 26.
For the latest on Davidson women's lacrosse, stay tuned to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Davidson's sixth place finish is up one spot from last season's poll, after the 'Cats ended their shortened 2020 season at 2-4, including two losses to top-25 teams.
Richmond and UMass finished first and second in the poll, respectively, with the Spiders earning six first-place votes and 96 total points while the Minutewomen received four votes and 93 points. Saint Joseph's (77), George Mason (68) and Duquesne (62) rounded out the top five, before the Wildcats came in at number six with 40 points.
The 'Cats will open up the 2021 campaign facing their fifth nationally-ranked opponent in the last six years, by taking on the No. 15 Duke University Blue Devils next Friday night from inside Richardson Stadium. Davidson's meeting with Duke will be the seventh meeting between the two teams, dating back to 2009, as the Wildcats will look to defeat the Blue Devils for the first time in program history.
Davidson returns 78 percent of its scoring from a season ago, including two of its three leading scorers. Sophomore Anna West and junior Gianna New combined for 19 goals and three assists last season, while the two recorded 10 and nine goals, respectively. New also returns as the Wildcats' leading draw controller, winning 27 draws during the 2020 season, while West shot a team-best 2-of-3 on free position attempts one year ago.
The 'Cats will also have an advantage in the backfield, as defender Natalie Junior is back for her senior season, after earning the program's first ever A-10 Preseason All-Conference recognition last year. A Pennsylvania native, Junior forced a team-high 12 caused turnovers in 2020, and grabbed 14 ground balls.
Kim Wayne brought 10 new 'Cats onto the scene for the 2021 season, adding depth to all four of the Wildcats' position groups.
After opening up the season with No. 15 Duke on Friday, Feb. 12, Davidson will have seven more non-conference tests before beginning Atlantic 10 play on March 26.
For the latest on Davidson women's lacrosse, stay tuned to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Lax is back ???? pic.twitter.com/E7uC5ZsUx9
— Davidson Lacrosse (@DavidsonLax) February 3, 2021
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