Don't Sleep on Davidson

Saturday, February 12

Davidson, NC

1:00 PM

Davidson College Athletics

High Point

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

2/11/2022 2:31:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Wildcats look to carry last season’s prolific success into 2022 campaign.

After getting just six games in during the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Davidson College lacrosse program brought a refined sense of gratitude with them onto the field in 2021. That gratitude, paired with exceptional play, led to one of the most successful seasons in program history. Now, entering 2022 with a complete 17-game schedule, the Wildcats are prepared to build upon last season's success in pursuit of an Atlantic 10 Championship.

Entering her 14th season at the helm of the 'Cats, head coach Kim Wayne's 36-woman squad was predicted to finish fourth in the Atlantic 10's preseason poll earlier this month, the highest preseason seed from the league in program history, after concluding the 2021 campaign with an A-10 semifinal appearance.

"This is the biggest team we have had since I've been at Davidson, yet they are as close as a team can be," Wayne said. "With 36 total players on the roster, each player matters and it's important to us that everyone knows that. All 36 players bring something different to practice, games, the locker room, the sideline, etc., and we wouldn't be the team we are without all of them."

The 2022 roster features reigning A-10 Rookie of the Year and Preseason All-Conference attacker, Julianne Carey, along with eight returning starters from last year's 11-4 team.

With Carey, Davidson returns over 70 percent of its offense from a season ago, including junior Erin Cooke who scored 31 goals and dished a team-high 20 assists as a sophomore en route to earning an All-Conference Second Team honor.

"Although we lost four starters, we are also returning a lot of key starters and players who came in off the bench," Wayne noted. "Erin Cooke, Julianne Carey, Grace Fahey and Gianna New are huge threats for us on attack. They are leaders with their voices, actions, and points, and all four come into this season with loads of experience."

On the defensive end, the Wildcats return "strong leaders" in Hayden Callahan, Amanda Monahan and Eva Finn, despite losing all-conference caliber defenders in Izzy Lozano and Natalie Junior to graduation. Monahan will return in the cage for the Wildcats, as the junior keeper saw nearly 792 minutes in net last season, collected three A-10 Defensive Player of the Week titles and earned Preseason All-Conference honors from the league earlier this month.

Also in the backfield, Davidson returns All-Rookie and Preseason All-Conference defender Noelle Cegielski, in addition to sophomore defenders Morgan O'Brien and Brynn Jones who Wayne says have "stepped up to fill our gaps."

With 18 underclassmen and eight freshmen on this year's roster, Wayne adds that she will rely heavily on senior captains New, Callahan and Jane DiGregorio who have "led the way from day one."

The Wildcats will open up the season on Saturday, February 12 against the High Point Panthers in a renewed rivalry, which saw Davidson come out on top last season, 15-14 in overtime. Just one of Davidson's big wins in 2021, the 'Cats also made a statement against Virginia Tech in non-conference play, defeating the #16 Hokies, 15-8, for the program's first win over an ACC opponent since 2003 and first ranked win in the modern scoring era.

"We want our opponents and fans to see us for who we are, and how good we are," Wayne said. "We don't want to be seen as the underdogs or a team that doesn't belong on the same field as an ACC team, because we've already proven that we do."

Don't sleep on Davidson.