On the heels of winning its seventh straight Liberty League title and reaching the national semifinals for the first time since 2003, William Smith lacrosse was recognized as the unanimous preseason favorite in 2024 Liberty League Women’s Lacrosse following a vote by the conference’s head coaches.
The Herons lead off the 2024 Liberty League Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll with 10 first-place vote for 100 points and Ithaca College, the 2023 Liberty League runner-up, was picked to finish second with 91 points and a first-place vote. St. Lawrence University was selected third with 70 points and not far behind in fourth is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), compiling 69 points. Union College was predicted to finish in fifth and Vassar College in sixth with 64 and 50 points, respectively. The Garnet Chargers and Brewers were followed by Skidmore College (48), University of Rochester (46), Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT, 29), Clarkson University (28), and Bard College (10).
It is shaping up to be another close race in the Liberty League Women’s Lacrosse standings as 11 teams duke it out for seven conference playoff spots.
With the graduation of only three,
William Smith is poised to continue its recent run of success within the Liberty League and Division III. The team finished last year with an unblemished record in league play (10-0) for the second consecutive season, posted a program-record 21 wins (21-1) as well as the program’s longest winning streak (21). William Smith also set single season records for goals (340) and draw controls (328) in 2023. The Herons begin the 2024 campaign ranked third in the 2024 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division III preseason poll. They welcome back Maddie Montgomery, Natalie Daniels, Allie McGinty, and Kate Risley, who all earned All-Liberty League first team accolades during the 2023 campaign. Montgomery, the 2023 Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year and USA Lacrosse Magazine’s Preseason Player of the Year, scored a league-high 84 goals and dished out 17 assists en route to becoming the third player in William Smith program history reach the 100-point plateau in a single season (101). McGinty and Daniels were also significant contributors to the offense as they finished 2023 second and third on the team in scoring. In 22 games, McGinty paced the Herons in assists (42) and added 30 goals for 72 points. She recorded at least one point in every game last year. Daniels (2023 Liberty League Rookie of the Year) had a breakout rookie season last year with 40 goals and seven assists for 47 points. Risley was one of the top defensive standouts for the Herons, making all 22 starts while leading the team in both ground balls (49) and caused turnovers (28). She anchored a defense that was tops in the league and ninth in Division III for scoring defense, holding opponents to 6.68 goals per game.
Ithaca put together a strong campaign in 2023, closing out the year at 12-8 (7-3 Liberty League) and the Bombers advanced to the Liberty League title game for the fifth straight year. They will open the 2024 campaign fully loaded as the Bombers return with 12 starters from a year ago. A pair of All-Liberty League first team selections—Maizy Veitch and Caroline Wise highlight Ithaca’s returning players. Veitch led the team in scoring for the second consecutive season in 2023. She netted 53 goals and handed out 17 assists for 70 points. Among league leaders, she was sixth in goals per game (2.65), and tenth in points per game (3.50). She also led the team in free position goals with 10 and picked up 21 ground balls. Wise continued to be a force at the draw for the Bombers after leading Division III in draw controls in 2022. Her 192 wins in 2023 ranked her second nationally and she was fifth in draw controls per game (9.6). She was second on the team in points (65), assists (22), ground balls (30) and caused turnovers (19). Maggie Mandel is back to spearhead the defense. In 19 games, she scooped up 23 ground balls and caused 15 turnovers.
St. Lawrence was 9-7 overall and 7-3 against conference foes last year and the Saints will be eyeing a fourth straight Liberty League tournament appearance in 2024. Despite the departure of 10 from the 2023 squad, the Saints bring a veteran presence to the field with the return of Neve Ley, Liz Evans and Haley Sundstrom. Ley started all 16 games for St. Lawrence and was among the team’s top-five scorers, finishing the year fourth with 22 goals and four assists for 16 points. Despite limited action (12 games, 10 starts), Evans tallied 23 points on seven goals and a team-best 16 assists to finish fifth among the team’s scoring leaders. The pair combined for 22 ground balls and seven caused turnovers. From the backline, Sundstrom started all 16 games for the Saints while picking up 36 ground balls, good for second on the team, and recorded 17 caused turnovers, ranking her third on the team.
Following back-to-back Liberty League tournament appearances,
RPI will look to improve its 11-5 overall mark (6-4 Liberty League) and extend its postseason streak heading into the 2024 campaign. The Engineers bring a wealth of experience with eight starters back in Troy. The team’s offense will be ignited by the return of All-Liberty League first team honoree Megan Shay. Shay was tops on the team in goals (54) and free position goals (22) while ranking second in draw controls (80), and ground balls (28). She finished the year second among conference leaders in goals per game (3.38) and eighth in points per game (3.56). Shay also recorded three assists and 12 caused turnovers. Ella Graff and Lauren DeLeo are also back as the duo were third and fourth on the team in scoring last year with 48 and 45 points, respectively. Graff recorded 24 goals and 24 assists to go along with 14 ground balls, four caused turnovers and four draw controls. DeLeo netted 33 goals and handed out 12 assists. She also had 18 ground balls and nine caused turnovers. Kat Cama (All-Liberty League Second Team) started all 15 games she played last season. She caused 10 turnovers, recorded five ground balls, and collected a draw control.
Union (11-6, 6-4 Liberty League) wrapped up the 2023 season with 11 wins for the first time since 2016 and made its third straight appearance in the Liberty League semifinals. A core nucleus of players are back, including goalkeeper Sydney Widlitz who returns between the pipes for Union after being recognized as the league’s top goalie with 2023 All-Liberty League first team honors. She made an immediate impact in her rookie season for the Garnet Chargers, posting a 10-5 record, 10.02 goals against average, and .518 save percentage. Widlitz led all conference goalies and was 24th in Division III in save percentage while ranking second in the league for goals against average and third for saves per game (9.19). Greta Maurer, an All-Liberty League second team selection, is also back in Schenectady. The midfielder led the team with 38 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers, while chipping in 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points. Among league leaders, Maurer was fifth in ground balls and seventh in ground balls per game (2.24). Other key returnees for the Garnet Chargers include Anna Smith (21 G, 11 A), Katie Julien (16 G, 13 A), Dana Nelson (20 G, 1 A) and. All three played in all 17 games last year while producing more than 20 points apiece (32, 29, and 21).
Vassar returned to the Liberty League postseason for the first time since 2019 last year as the Brewers earned the sixth seed and advanced to the semifinals. They posted an overall record of 9-7 and went 5-5 in league play. The Brewers will be led by a pair of junior midfielders in Emma Torkelson and Reilly Mulcahy, who both earned All-Liberty League second team recognition last season. Torkelson was second on the team in goals with 34 and third on the team in points with 47. She paced the team with 41 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers. She led the league in ground balls, caused turnovers, and ground balls per game (2.56) while ranking second in caused turnovers per game (1.75). Mulcahy was tops on the team in draw controls with 38 while posting 24 goals and nine assists for 33 points. She tallied three game-winning goals to go along with 14 ground balls and six caused turnovers. Goalie Lauren Johns returns in net for the Brewers after playing in all 16 games last season (8-7, 785 minutes). She compiled a 13.67 goals against average and a .444 save percentage. She made 143 saves, averaging 8.94 per game, good for fourth among league goalies. Tess Billings is also back for Vassar, in 16 games last season she scored 15 goals and dished out two assists for 17 points. She also had 15 ground balls, 8 caused turnovers and 27 draw controls.
Skidmore also capped off the 2023 campaign with its first trip to the Liberty League tournament since 2019 as the Thoroughbreds finished the year at 8-9 overall (4-6 Liberty League). A veteran core returns to Saratoga to kick off 2024, including All-Liberty League second team honoree Gabby Modesti. Modesti paced the team in scoring with 40 goals and 19 assists for 59 points. She was among the league’s top-10 in points per game (6th, 3.69), and goals per game (8th, 2.50) while scooping up 17 ground balls and causing eight turnovers. She will be joined by Jill Lockwood, who finished second on the team in points (38) and goals (32). Lockwood also added six assists, 22 ground balls, and eight caused turnovers. Ella Harris led the team in draw controls last season with 61. She also picked up 16 ground balls and caused eight turnovers. Goalie Liv Kazanijan is back after finishing the year sixth in save percentage (.450) and eighth in saves per game (6.67) among league leaders.
Rochester wrapped up 2023 at 9-8 overall and narrowly missed the league tournament with a 4-6 mark against conference opponents. A year of experience should bode well for the Yellowjackets as they welcome back eight starters from a year ago, headlined by the return of All-Liberty League first team selection Abbey Smith. Smith started every game last season and was tops on the team in caused turnovers (28) while ranking second in ground balls (35). She was third among league leaders in caused turnover per game (1.65). Alyssa Gorney (All-Liberty League honorable mention), who paced the team in points (58) and goals (45) last year is back to spark the Rochester offense. She also had 13 assists to go along with 17 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers. Returners Gracie Giannettino (30 G, 22 A) and Lorelei King (25 G, 1 A) will be another boost to the offense. Rochester also welcomes back Grace Crochiere (All-Liberty League honorable mention). She paced the team in ground balls with 41 while also having a hand in the scoring with 20 goals and three assists (23 points). Additionally, she recorded 20 caused turnovers and 56 draw controls.
RIT will begin the 2024 season with six starters from the 2023 team. The Tigers welcome back a pair of sophomores who had breakout rookie campaigns last year. Adele Jones finished the season with 91 draw controls, the second most in RIT program history. She was third in the conference in draw controls per game at 6.50 and fourth in total draw controls. Jones also handed out 15 assists, good for second on the team, to go along with 15 goals and 20 ground balls. Zoe Heffernan led the Tigers’ offense in 2023 with 29 goals and 24 assists, totaling 53 points on the year. Among league leaders, she was fifth in points per game (3.79) and seventh in assists per game (1.71). She also contributed 20 ground balls, three caused turnovers, and four draw controls.
Clarkson will have a mix of returners and newcomers to open the 2024 campaign. A trio of All-Liberty League honorees lead the way for the Golden Knights—Maddy Barnum (first team), Rylee Ganter (second team), and Julia Lavarnway (honorable mention). Barnum recorded 60 points on 49 goals and 11 assists. She was second on the team in points and first in goals while also pacing Clarkson in draw controls (76). She was second in caused turnovers (23) and fourth in ground balls (23). Barnum was among the league’s top-five in goals per game (4th, 2.88) and draws per game (5th, 4.47). Ganter highlights the Golden Knights’ defensive returnees after leading the team in caused turnovers (26) and caused turnovers per game (1.53), good for fifth among league leaders. She also scooped up 25 ground balls. Lavarnway was tops on the team and league in scoring with a team- and league-high 47 assists (2.76 per game) and 71 points (4.18 per game). She also recorded 24 goals and 19 ground balls.
Bard will have a veteran presence for the 2024 season with 10 players that have experience in a starting role. Two of the team’s top-three offensive threats are back with the return of juniors Izzi Popolizio and Maggy Peyton. Popolizo posted a team-best 32 points and 19 assists while recording at least a point in 11 games. She also added 13 goals and 28 ground balls. Peyton was third on the team in scoring with 25 points with 22 goals and three assists. Paige Gregg and Morgan Ruhle are also key returnees for the Raptors. Gregg paced the team in caused turnovers (14) and she contributed 19 ground balls to go along with four points (1 G, 3 A). Ruhle scooped up a team-high 30 ground balls and she caused seven turnovers while also scoring a pair of goals. Goalie Lexie Blackburn returns after playing in 13 games last season. She totaled 87 saves on the year, averaging 6.69 per game, good for seventh among the league’s goalies.
The 2024 campaign gets underway on Wednesday, February 21 with Rochester taking on SUNY Oneonta in Oneonta, N.Y. The season gets into full swing the following Saturday (February 24) with six non-conference games. League play begins on Wednesday, March 13 with Union hosting Bard in a midweek match-up.
2024 Liberty League Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
Place. Team, Points
1. William Smith, 100 (10)
2. Ithaca, 91 (1)
3. St. Lawrence, 70
4. RPI, 69
5. Union, 64
6. Vassar, 50
7. Skidmore, 48
8. Rochester, 46
9. RIT, 29
10. Clarkson, 28
11. Bard, 10
(First-place votes are in parentheses)