Photo by: TIM COWIE
'Cats Picked Fourth; Three Tabbed A-10 Preseason All-Conference
2/6/2024 2:00:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – For the third consecutive season, the Davidson women's lacrosse program was picked fourth in the Atlantic 10's Preseason Poll, the league office announced Tuesday.
The 'Cats earned 72 points in the poll after their third straight semifinal appearance at the 2023 A-10 Championships. Saint Joseph's checked in at third place with 79 points while Massachusetts (94 points | 4 first-place votes) and Richmond (95 points | 5 first-place votes) rounded out the top-4.
In addition to the poll, Julianne Carey, Allie Hartnett and Noelle Cegielski were named to the Preseason All-Conference roster.
Carey's second Preseason All-Conference honor comes on the heels of a Second-Team All-Conference season in 2023, where she became the program's all-time leader in the circle with 113 draws as a junior and 250 career draws. She ranked 15th nationally in draw controls per game (6.65) and was third on the team in goals (34), assists (25) and points (59).
"Jules has turned into an amazing leader for us on attack, on the draw and through her role as a captain," said coach Kim Wayne. "She believes in this team and knows how successful we can be this year. I know she will do everything it takes to win a conference championship, and I'm excited to see what more she has to give."
A rising star in the Atlantic 10, Hartnett was the lone freshman to earn First-Team All-Conference recognition in 2023 after scoring 22 goals, including four game-winners. In total, she scored 27 points and had 24 ground balls, while recording six multi-goal games.
"Allie is a tremendous athlete, and a huge asset to our midfield line," Wayne added. "She drives to the cage and can assist out of her drive, but she also works hard off the ball and does a great job cutting towards the cage. She's a presence in the midfield and on the draw circle, while also being a great 1-on-1 and team defender. It's always nice when you can have a true two-way midfielder who you can rely on to compete at both ends."
Cegielski has cemented herself as one of the leading defenders in the Atlantic 10 and the nation, earning her third preseason nod in addition to previous First-Team All-Conference honors. In her junior season, Cegielski set a career-high while leading the Wildcats with 33 ground balls and anchored a back line with 20 caused turnovers. She also helped lead the Davidson defense to a 10.45 goals-against average, good for 31st in NCAA Division I women's lacrosse.
"Noelle has been a consistent go-to defender for us over the past four years," Wayne said. "She is tough to beat and always makes it a point to mark our biggest threats in practice. She loves a challenge and continues to push herself every day she's on the field. It's always special when a defender gets the credit she deserves from opponents who might not know her the way we do."
The Wildcats will open up the 2024 campaign this Saturday at No. 23 Clemson, and take on a schedule that features two other preseason top-25 programs. The first week of March will also spotlight a rare trip out West to UC Davis and Stanford before the conference ledger begins.
"We lost our two leading scorers from last year, an all-conference defender and a three-year starting goalie, so we knew going into this season that we would have a lot of work to do," Wayne closed. "Seeing the growth in our sophomore class from their freshman year to now, as well as the players who have returned from injuries, is what makes coaching so much fun. I believe we are better now than we were at the end of last year, and I know we will only go up from here."
For more information on Davidson lacrosse, stay tuned to @DavidsonLax on Twitter and @Davidsonwlax on Instagram.
The 'Cats earned 72 points in the poll after their third straight semifinal appearance at the 2023 A-10 Championships. Saint Joseph's checked in at third place with 79 points while Massachusetts (94 points | 4 first-place votes) and Richmond (95 points | 5 first-place votes) rounded out the top-4.
In addition to the poll, Julianne Carey, Allie Hartnett and Noelle Cegielski were named to the Preseason All-Conference roster.
Carey's second Preseason All-Conference honor comes on the heels of a Second-Team All-Conference season in 2023, where she became the program's all-time leader in the circle with 113 draws as a junior and 250 career draws. She ranked 15th nationally in draw controls per game (6.65) and was third on the team in goals (34), assists (25) and points (59).
"Jules has turned into an amazing leader for us on attack, on the draw and through her role as a captain," said coach Kim Wayne. "She believes in this team and knows how successful we can be this year. I know she will do everything it takes to win a conference championship, and I'm excited to see what more she has to give."
A rising star in the Atlantic 10, Hartnett was the lone freshman to earn First-Team All-Conference recognition in 2023 after scoring 22 goals, including four game-winners. In total, she scored 27 points and had 24 ground balls, while recording six multi-goal games.
"Allie is a tremendous athlete, and a huge asset to our midfield line," Wayne added. "She drives to the cage and can assist out of her drive, but she also works hard off the ball and does a great job cutting towards the cage. She's a presence in the midfield and on the draw circle, while also being a great 1-on-1 and team defender. It's always nice when you can have a true two-way midfielder who you can rely on to compete at both ends."
Cegielski has cemented herself as one of the leading defenders in the Atlantic 10 and the nation, earning her third preseason nod in addition to previous First-Team All-Conference honors. In her junior season, Cegielski set a career-high while leading the Wildcats with 33 ground balls and anchored a back line with 20 caused turnovers. She also helped lead the Davidson defense to a 10.45 goals-against average, good for 31st in NCAA Division I women's lacrosse.
"Noelle has been a consistent go-to defender for us over the past four years," Wayne said. "She is tough to beat and always makes it a point to mark our biggest threats in practice. She loves a challenge and continues to push herself every day she's on the field. It's always special when a defender gets the credit she deserves from opponents who might not know her the way we do."
The Wildcats will open up the 2024 campaign this Saturday at No. 23 Clemson, and take on a schedule that features two other preseason top-25 programs. The first week of March will also spotlight a rare trip out West to UC Davis and Stanford before the conference ledger begins.
"We lost our two leading scorers from last year, an all-conference defender and a three-year starting goalie, so we knew going into this season that we would have a lot of work to do," Wayne closed. "Seeing the growth in our sophomore class from their freshman year to now, as well as the players who have returned from injuries, is what makes coaching so much fun. I believe we are better now than we were at the end of last year, and I know we will only go up from here."
For more information on Davidson lacrosse, stay tuned to @DavidsonLax on Twitter and @Davidsonwlax on Instagram.
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