Northwestern University Athletics
Lacrosse Voted Big Ten Preseason Favorite
2/10/2021 3:15:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
ROSEMONT, Ill. — Northwestern has been voted unanimously by the conference coaches as the 2021 Big Ten women's lacrosse preseason favorite. The Wildcats are followed in the preseason poll by Maryland in second, Michigan in third, Penn State in fourth and Johns Hopkins in fifth, with Ohio State and Rutgers rounding out the poll in sixth and seventh, respectively. All seven head coaches voted in the preseason poll and selected three players from their own teams to the Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List.
Last season, Northwestern was ranked No. 6 and led all Big Ten teams in the final Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Coaches Poll. The Wildcats began 2020 with a 4-3 overall record and boasted the top scoring offense in the country (21.57 goals per game) before the season ended prematurely on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Northwestern checks in at No. 5 in the 2021 IWLCA Preseason Coaches Poll and No. 4 in Inside Lacrosse's 2021 preseason rankings. The Wildcats return two 2019 All-Big Ten honorees in junior Izzy Scane and senior Ally Palermo. Both Palermo and Scane were named first-team Preseason All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse, along with teammates Sammy Mueller (second team), Lindsay McKone (third team), Brennan Dwyer (third team) and Lauren Gilbert (honorable mention).
In addition to Northwestern, Maryland (No. 6/No. 8), Michigan (No. 9/No. 9) and Penn State (No. 21/No. 18) appeared in the IWLCA and Inside Lacrosse 2021 preseason rankings.
The Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List features 21 standouts from the seven schools, including six 2019 All-Big Ten honorees. In total, 10 student-athletes on the Players to Watch List were also named Inside Lacrosse Preseason All Americans: Maryland's Lizzie Colson (first team), Brindi Griffin (third team) and Grace Griffin (honorable mention); Michigan's Molly Garrett (second team) and Caitlin Muir (honorable mention); Northwestern's Gilbert (honorable mention), Mueller (second team) and Scane (first team); Ohio State's Jill Rizzo (honorable mention); and Penn State's Taylor Suplee (honorable mention).
Big Ten women's lacrosse teams have won 27 national championships and 23 of the 38 NCAA Championships, including 12 of the last 15. Maryland claimed seven straight titles from 1995 to 2001, while Northwestern has won seven NCAA titles, highlighted by five consecutive from 2005 to 2009, and most recently in 2012. Penn State has earned five national championships, including NCAA titles in 1987 and 1989.
The 2021 Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Tournament will be hosted by Penn State from April 29-May 2 and will feature a seven-team field with the regular-season champion receiving a first-round bye. The tournament will consist of three games played on Thursday, April 29, two semifinal games on Friday, April 30, and the championship game on Sunday, May 2.
The 2021 preseason poll and complete Players to Watch list can be found below.
2021 BIG TEN WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
1. Northwestern
2. Maryland
3. Michigan
4. Penn State
5. Johns Hopkins
6. Ohio State
7. Rutgers
2021 WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH
Keegan Barger Sr. Midfield Johns Hopkins
Aurora Cordingley Sr. Attack Johns Hopkins
Jeanne Kachris Sr. Defense Johns Hopkins
Lizzie Colson Sr. Defense Maryland
Brindi Griffin Sr. Attack Maryland
Grace Griffin Sr. Midfield Maryland
Molly Garrett Gr. Midfield Michigan
Maggie Kane Sr. Midfield Michigan
Caitlin Muir Sr. Attack Michigan
Lauren Gilbert Sr. Attack Northwestern
Sammy Mueller Gr. Midfield Northwestern
Izzy Scane Jr. Attack Northwestern
Liza Hernandez Gr. Attack Ohio State
Kelsey Reed Gr. Midfield Ohio State
Jill Rizzo Gr. Goalie Ohio State
Maria Auth Gr. Attack Penn State
Olivia Dirks So. Midfield Penn State
Taylor Suplee Jr. Goalie Penn State
Marin Hartshorn Jr. Attack Rutgers
Cassidy Spilis So. Midfield Rutgers
TT Naslonski Sr. Attack Rutgers
Last season, Northwestern was ranked No. 6 and led all Big Ten teams in the final Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Coaches Poll. The Wildcats began 2020 with a 4-3 overall record and boasted the top scoring offense in the country (21.57 goals per game) before the season ended prematurely on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Northwestern checks in at No. 5 in the 2021 IWLCA Preseason Coaches Poll and No. 4 in Inside Lacrosse's 2021 preseason rankings. The Wildcats return two 2019 All-Big Ten honorees in junior Izzy Scane and senior Ally Palermo. Both Palermo and Scane were named first-team Preseason All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse, along with teammates Sammy Mueller (second team), Lindsay McKone (third team), Brennan Dwyer (third team) and Lauren Gilbert (honorable mention).
In addition to Northwestern, Maryland (No. 6/No. 8), Michigan (No. 9/No. 9) and Penn State (No. 21/No. 18) appeared in the IWLCA and Inside Lacrosse 2021 preseason rankings.
The Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List features 21 standouts from the seven schools, including six 2019 All-Big Ten honorees. In total, 10 student-athletes on the Players to Watch List were also named Inside Lacrosse Preseason All Americans: Maryland's Lizzie Colson (first team), Brindi Griffin (third team) and Grace Griffin (honorable mention); Michigan's Molly Garrett (second team) and Caitlin Muir (honorable mention); Northwestern's Gilbert (honorable mention), Mueller (second team) and Scane (first team); Ohio State's Jill Rizzo (honorable mention); and Penn State's Taylor Suplee (honorable mention).
Big Ten women's lacrosse teams have won 27 national championships and 23 of the 38 NCAA Championships, including 12 of the last 15. Maryland claimed seven straight titles from 1995 to 2001, while Northwestern has won seven NCAA titles, highlighted by five consecutive from 2005 to 2009, and most recently in 2012. Penn State has earned five national championships, including NCAA titles in 1987 and 1989.
The 2021 Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Tournament will be hosted by Penn State from April 29-May 2 and will feature a seven-team field with the regular-season champion receiving a first-round bye. The tournament will consist of three games played on Thursday, April 29, two semifinal games on Friday, April 30, and the championship game on Sunday, May 2.
The 2021 preseason poll and complete Players to Watch list can be found below.
2021 BIG TEN WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
1. Northwestern
2. Maryland
3. Michigan
4. Penn State
5. Johns Hopkins
6. Ohio State
7. Rutgers
2021 WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH
Keegan Barger Sr. Midfield Johns Hopkins
Aurora Cordingley Sr. Attack Johns Hopkins
Jeanne Kachris Sr. Defense Johns Hopkins
Lizzie Colson Sr. Defense Maryland
Brindi Griffin Sr. Attack Maryland
Grace Griffin Sr. Midfield Maryland
Molly Garrett Gr. Midfield Michigan
Maggie Kane Sr. Midfield Michigan
Caitlin Muir Sr. Attack Michigan
Lauren Gilbert Sr. Attack Northwestern
Sammy Mueller Gr. Midfield Northwestern
Izzy Scane Jr. Attack Northwestern
Liza Hernandez Gr. Attack Ohio State
Kelsey Reed Gr. Midfield Ohio State
Jill Rizzo Gr. Goalie Ohio State
Maria Auth Gr. Attack Penn State
Olivia Dirks So. Midfield Penn State
Taylor Suplee Jr. Goalie Penn State
Marin Hartshorn Jr. Attack Rutgers
Cassidy Spilis So. Midfield Rutgers
TT Naslonski Sr. Attack Rutgers
Players Mentioned
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