ROSEMONT, Ill. – Entering the inaugural season of Big Ten women's lacrosse, the Maryland Terrapins were unanimously selected No. 1 in the conference coaches' preseason poll, as announced Monday afternoon.
The Terps were selected as the preseason favorite to take home the first-ever Big Ten Championship, followed by Northwestern (2), Ohio State (T-3), Penn State (T-3), Rutgers (5) and Michigan (6). Maryland earned its 11th NCAA Championship last season and is ranked No. 1 in the Nike/Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Poll.
Seniors Megan Douty, Brooke Griffin and Kelly McPartland were selected as Maryland's Players to Watch in 2015. Douty was a Tewaaraton Award finalist last season and earned IWLCA First Team All-American, ACC Defender of the Year and first team All-ACC honors. Griffin was named the ACC Championship MVP and an IWLCA First Team All-American. McPartland was a Tewaaraton nominee and First Team All-American, and was named to the ACC Championship and NCAA Championship All-Tournament teams.
Douty, Griffin and McPartland, alongside reigning Tewaaraton Award winner Taylor Cummings, were named preseason First Team All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse.
The Terps begin the 2015 campaign at William & Mary on Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. The inaugural Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Tournament will be hosted by Rutgers from April 30 to May 3. The tournament will include all six conference programs, with two quarterfinal matches on Thursday. The top two seeds will receive byes to Friday's semifinals, followed by the championship match on Sunday.
2015 Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
(1) MARYLAND
(2) Northwestern
(T-3) Ohio State
(T-3) Penn State
(5) Rutgers
(6) Michigan
Unanimous selection in ALL CAPS
Players to Watch
MARYLAND
Megan Douty, Sr., D
Brooke Griffin, Sr., A
Kelly McPartland, Sr., M
MICHIGAN
Jess Angerman, So., A
Kim Coughlin, So., M
Anna Schueler, So., M
NORTHWESTERN
Bridget Bianco, Sr., G
Kaleigh Craig, Jr., M
Kara Mupo, Sr., A
OHIO STATE
Katie Chase, Sr., A
Jackie Cifarelli, Sr., A
Tori DeScenza, Sr., G
PENN STATE
Tatum Coffey, Sr., M
Madison Cyr, Jr., M
Maggie McCormick, Sr., A
RUTGERS
Kristin Kocher, Jr., M
Lauren Sbrilli, Sr., M
Erin Turkot, Sr., M
