EDISON, NJ (Feb. 5, 2025) – Fairfield University has been voted as the preseason favorites according to the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll, while Iona University’s Kira Varada was named Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
Fairfield claimed seven first-place votes, tallying a league-high 138 points to lead the poll. The most successful program in MAAC history, Fairfield had a historical 2024 season in which the team earned the first ever NCAA at-large bid in the MAAC history making its program’s eighth NCAA Championship field appearance. Fairfield earned national rankings in both the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association and
USA Lacrosse Media Poll for the first time since 2009, going 6-1 against a non-conference regular season slate that included the first two wins over nationally-ranked opponents in program history (#24 UConn, #23 UAlbany) and finishing the season with a 16-3 overall mark. The Stags clinched their second consecutive MAAC Regular Season Championship, fourth over the past five seasons, and MAAC-leading 15th overall in 2024, going a perfect 9-0 in the MAAC regular season. Additionally, Fairfield has won a conference-high eight overall championship titles dating back to 2001.
Siena College was picked second in the poll, collecting 126 points and one first place vote, while Mount St. Mary’s (114), and 2024 MAAC Champion, Niagara University (113) checked in at third and fourth place, respectively and both earned two first place votes apiece. Closing out the top five of the poll was Iona with 103 points.
The two-time reigning MAAC Midfielder of the Year, Varada was named as the Preseason Player of the Year and was one of two players unanimously voted to the Preseason All-MAAC Team. Hailing from Montrose, NY, Varada was one of the top players in the MAAC on both ends of the field in 2024. Offensively on the MAAC leaderboard, she ranked tied for fifth in both goals (47) and goals per game (2.76), seventh in points (62), 10th in points per game (3.65), seventh in total shots (108) and sixth in shots per game (6.35). On the defensive charts, she ranked second in the MAAC in both caused turnovers (37) and caused turnovers per game (2.18), fourth in both draw controls (83) and draw controls per game (4.88) and tied for sixth in both ground balls (47) and ground balls average (2.76). Over the course of her career, Varada has been a two-time All-MAAC First Team choice, an All-MAAC Second Team selection, an All-Rookie Team choice, and the 2022 MAAC Rookie of the Year honoree.
The remainder of the Preseason All-MAAC Team and full Preseason Coaches’ Poll can be found below.
| 2025 Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Fairfield |
138 (7) |
| 2 |
Siena |
126 (1) |
| 3 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
114 (2) |
| 4 |
Niagara |
113 (2) |
| 5 |
Iona |
103 |
| 6 |
Canisius |
71 |
| 7 |
Sacred Heart |
65 |
| 8 |
Rider |
62 |
| 9 |
Marist |
55 |
| 10 |
Quinnipiac |
45 |
| 11 |
Manhattan |
31 |
| 12 |
Merrimack |
13 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Kira Varada – Iona |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Mackenzi Furlong |
Attack |
Gr. |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Katie Walsh |
Attack |
R-Jr. |
Rider |
| Grace Dobrzynski |
Attack |
Sr. |
Siena |
| Kelly Logue |
Attack |
Sr. |
Siena |
| Haley Burns |
Midfield |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Brynn Donnelly* |
Midfield |
Jr. |
Fairfield |
| Kira Varada* |
Midfield |
Sr. |
Iona |
| Anna Salerno |
Midfield |
Sr. |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Macey Daly |
Defense |
Gr. |
Fairfield |
| Carly Linthicum |
Defense |
Sr. |
Iona |
| Mackey Fick |
Defense |
Jr. |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Molly Molchanoff |
Defense |
Sr. |
Mount St. Mary’s |
| Sydney Huhtala |
Defense |
Jr. |
Niagara |
| Mikayla Cooke |
Defense |
Sr. |
Siena |
| Lauren Sweeney |
Goalkeeper |
Jr. |
Iona |
*Denotes Unanimous Selection
The 2025 MAAC Women's Lacrosse Championship is an eight-team, single-elimination championship taking place between April 25 and May 4, 2025. The first and second rounds will be hosted by the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds on Friday and Sunday, April 25 and 27. The bracket will reseed following the second round and the semifinals and championship final will be hosted by the No. 1 seed in the field on Friday, May 2 and Sunday, May 4. For all information regarding the 2025 MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/wlax.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 44th year of competition during the 2024-25 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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