Canisius Women’s Lacrosse Selected as Unanimous Preseason Favorite; Canisius’ Erica Evans Named Unanimous Preseason Player of the Year
MAAC Sports
EDISON, NJ – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced today that Canisius College has been selected as the 2017 Women’s Lacrosse Preseason favorite based on a vote by the league’s nine head coaches. The Griffs were a unanimous selection, receiving 81 points and all nine first place votes. Canisius’ junior midfielder Erica Evans was named the unanimous 2017 Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Player of the Year.
The Griffs won the 2016 MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship after a first place finish in the regular season (13-7, 8-0 MAAC). Canisius claimed the MAAC Regular Season Championship for the second year in a row in 2016. The Griffs defeated Monmouth University in the 2016 MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship game, 17-5 to earn the league’s automatic bid to the 2016 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship.
Last season Canisius led the MAAC in goals scored (248), goals per game (12.40), points (343), points per game (17.15), shot percentage (48.6%), fewest turnovers per game (11.95), and goals against average (8.43). The Griffs ranked 16th in the nation in scoring offense (12.40 goals per game), 12th in fewest turnovers per game (11.95), 15th in scoring margin (+3.95), and 24th in points per game (17.15).
Canisius’ junior midfield Erica Evans earned the unanimous 2017 Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Player of the Year honor after a historic 2016 campaign. Evans was named the MAAC Midfielder of the Year for the second consecutive year last season and set conference records in goals scored (72) and points (91). She ranked third in the nation in goals scored and fifth in points. The midfielder recorded 19 assists, had a shooting percentage of 51.8 percent and led the Griffs with 81 draw controls, 47 ground balls, and 31 caused turnovers.
The Peterborough, Ontario native also received Preseason All-American honors from Inside Lacrosse in its latest publication Face-Off Yearbook 2017. She was named to the 2017 Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American Second Team.
Monmouth placed second in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, receiving a total of 70 points. The Hawks were the 2016 MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship runner-up after a third place regular season finish (12-8, 6-2 MAAC). Monmouth led the MAAC in save percentage (45.9%), saves (181), and ranked second in saves per game (9.05) last season.
Fairfield University and Marist College tied for third in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, each receiving 57 points respectively. The Stags won the 2015 MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship and posted a (9-9, 4-4 MAAC) mark in 2016. Fairfield was defeated by Canisius in the semifinals of the 2016 MAAC Championship. The Red Foxes finished last regular season in second place with a record of (9-8, 6-2 MAAC). Marist advanced to the semifinals of the MAAC Championship, but were edged by Monmouth.
The 2017 Preseason All-MAAC Team is comprised of four attacks, three midfielders, four defenders, and one goaltender. Canisius had a league-high three student-athletes selected to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
Canisius’ Tessa Chad, Fairfield’s Riley Hellstein, Monmouth’s Alexa Smith, and Niagara’s Caroline Crump were all selected to the Preseason-All MAAC Team at attack. Canisius’ Erica Evans (unanimous selection), Fairfield’s Alex Fehmel, and Iona’s Erin Pugh make up the team’s midfielders. Iona’s Gabriella Di Domizio, Niagara’s Alexandra Higgins, Quinnipiac’s Kiera Kelly, and Siena’s Emily Conway join the team at defense. Canisius’ Rebecca VanLaeken was selected at goalie.
For all information on the 2017 MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship, visit maacsports.com/womenslax.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
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1.
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Canisius* (9)
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81
|
|
2.
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Monmouth
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70
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|
T3.
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Fairfield
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57
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|
T3.
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Marist
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57
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|
5.
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Niagara
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48
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T6.
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Iona
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32
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|
T6.
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Siena
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32
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|
T8.
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Manhattan
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14
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T8.
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Quinnipiac
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14
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Preseason All-MAAC Team
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Tessa Chad
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Attack
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Canisius
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Riley Hellstein
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Attack
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Fairfield
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Alexa Smith
|
Attack
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Monmouth
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|
Caroline Crump
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Attack
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Niagara
|
|
Erica Evans*
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Midfield
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Canisius
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|
Alex Fehmel
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Midfield
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Fairfield
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|
Erin Pugh
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Midfield
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Iona
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|
Gabriella Di Domizio
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Defense
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Iona
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|
Alexandra Higgins
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Defense
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Niagara
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Kiera Kelly
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Defense
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Quinnipiac
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Emily Conway
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Defense
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Siena
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|
Rebecca VanLaeken
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Goalie
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Canisius
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Preseason Player of the Year
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Erica Evans*
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Midfield
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Canisius
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*Denotes unanimous selection