In a women’s lacrosse conference as powerful as the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, it takes a lot to gain the recognition from coaches across the league.
Fort Lewis College came in fifth in the RMAC preseason coaches poll Tuesday, while Lindenwood and Regis tied for first place. The two powerhouse programs split the 10 first-place votes and came in with a matching 77 points. Colorado Mesa University was picked third with 64 points, Westminster College was fourth with 51 and the Skyhawks earned 48 points.
Rockhurst (42), University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (33), Colorado State University-Pueblo (31), Oklahoma Baptist (17) and Adams State (10) rounded out the poll.
FLC, which finished fourth in the RMAC a year ago with a 6-3 conference record as part of a 7-7 overall mark, did not have a player named to the Preseason All-RMAC team.
Lindenwood, based in Missouri, finished 19-1 overall last season and 9-0 in RMAC play en route to the conference championship. Regis of Denver went 17-5 overall and 8-1 in conference. The two teams met in the RMAC tournament championship game, and Lindenwood prevailed 19-14.
In the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament, Regis won in the first round to set up a rematch, and this time the Rangers won 15-14 to end Lindenwood’s season. Regis went on to lose 18-1 to Le Moyne College of New York in the regional semifinals. Le Moyne eventually won the national championship by beating Florida Southern 16-11.
FLC reached the RMAC tournament semifinals with a 12-11 win against Westminster in the first round. FLC lost to Lindenwood 18-8 in the semifinals.
Fittingly, Lindenwood and Regis split the top individual preseason awards Tuesday, too. Wendy Donier, a Regis senior, was named preseason attacker of the year. She scored 56 goals last year and added 19 assists. Regis sophomore Elle Crawford was named preseason goalie of the year. Last season, she started 19 games and went 12-5. She had 153 saves and had a save percentage of 49.
Lindenwood junior Carly Fedorowski was named preseason midfielder of the year. Last season, she had 32 goals, including the game-winner in the RMAC title game. Lindenwood senior Morgan Reader was awarded preseason defensive player of the year. Last year, she was a third-team All-American after she forced 23 turnovers, scooped up 43 ground balls and won 23 draw controls.
FLC head coach Sean Claussen is now in his second year and hit the recruiting trail hard in the offseason. He will return goalie Daris Wienk, who was 6-4 last season. Anna Dennison had 13 goals as a freshman a year ago and is the leading scorer to return this year.
While many teams across the country will begin games in early February, FLC won’t open the season until March 9 against Concordia University on a neutral field in Pueblo. The Skyhawks will open RMAC play two days later at home against Rockhurst University.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
