COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The reigning national championship Maryland women's lacrosse team was selected as the No. 1 team in both the preseason media and IWLCA coaches' polls, as announced by Inside Lacrosse and the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Monday.
Maryland went 21-1 and 5-0 in Big Ten play in 2015 en route to the team's second straight and 13th overall national championship. The Terps received all but one first place vote in the media poll and all 20 first place votes in the IWLCA poll.
Senior midfielder Taylor Cummings returns for her final season as a Terp. A three-time first team All-American, Cummings is the reigning two-time Tewaaraton Award, Honda Award and IWLCA National Midfielder of the Year recipient.
The Terps also return starters Alice Mercer, Megan Whittle, Zoe Stukenberg and Nadine Hadnagy, who were all named Inside Lacrosse preseason All-Americans last month.
Maryland was ranked No. 1 in the two preseason polls last season and remained in the top spot for the entire 2015 season.
The Big Ten has four teams listed in the preseason polls, with Northwestern and Penn State being ranked in the top-6 of both.
The Terps face 10 teams in 2016 that are ranked in both the preseason media and IWLCA coaches' polls. Maryland opens the season against William & Mary on February 13 at noon at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex in College Park. Tickets are available here.
For the complete preseason media poll, click here. The complete IWLCA coaches' poll can be found here.
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