NEW YORK – Denver was unanimously selected as the BIG EAST women’s lacrosse preseason favorite based on a vote of the league’s head coaches. The reigning champion Pioneers earned all five available first-place votes for a total of 25 points. Connecticut’s Sydney Watson was tabbed BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Villanova Sydney Frank was named BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. A 15-member Preseason All-BIG EAST Team was also named. The preseason poll and awards are selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches who are not allowed to vote for their own team or players.
 
Following Denver in the poll was 2021 runner-up UConn, which earned 21 points and the remaining first-place vote. Two-time BIG EAST postseason champion Georgetown was voted third with 17 points, followed by Villanova in fourth with 13. Marquette (fifth, nine points) and Butler (sixth, five points) rounded out the poll.
 
Denver claimed its first BIG EAST Championship crown in 2021, ending a string of three-straight years as runner-up. The Pioneers went 16-2 overall and 10-0 in BIG EAST play as the league played a double-round-robin schedule during the COVID-19 interrupted season. Denver made its third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, earning its fifth bid overall, and advanced to the Round of 16. The Pioneers boasted one of the top defenses in the country, surrendering just 9.39 goals per game to rank 10^th nationally, while tallying the third-highest caused turnovers per game clip at 12.56. Among Denver’s top returners are Preseason All-BIG EAST Team selections graduate student attacker Bea Behrins (unanimous), graduate student defender Sammie Morton and junior defender Sam Thacker. Behrins is the reigning BIG EAST Attacker of the Year.
 
UConn’s Watson is the reigning BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year. Over 17 games in 2021, she led the BIG EAST in goals per game (3.29), game-winning goals (five), shots per game (7.41), draw controls per game (8.00) and free position goals per game (0.99). Her points per game clip of 4.06 listed second among BIG EAST competitors. She was one of six Preseason All-BIG EAST Team selections for the Huskies, along with senior attacker Grace Coon, junior defender Ariana Kline, senior attacker Lia LaPrise, graduate student attacker Stephanie Palmucci and senior goalkeeper Landyn White. Watson, Coon, Kline, LaPrise and White were unanimous selections. The Huskies, who earned BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 2021, went 12-7 overall and finished in second place in the conference standings at 7-3. After a runner-up finish in the conference tournament, UConn earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Championship for its second national postseason bid in program history.
 
Villanova’s Frank is a two-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection after earning the honor in 2019 and 2021. She sparked the Wildcats to their second straight BIG EAST Championship berth and third overall, leading a defensive unit with 25 caused turnovers, 68 draw controls and 40 ground balls over 17 games played. Villanova went 6-11 overall and 4-6 in BIG EAST play to tie Marquette for fourth place in the standings. Frank was one of three Wildcats named to the 2022 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, along with fellow unanimous pick Libby McKenna (Sr., M) and senior midfielder Alexa Tsahalis.
 
Georgetown saw two recognized on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, including reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Kylie Hazen. Hazen started all 16 games for the Hoyas and led GU in points (45) and goals (33). Senior midfielder Annabelle Albert was also a preseason honoree. Georgetown went 6-10 overall and 5-5 in BIG EAST play for a third-place finish in 2021. Its season ended in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Championship, falling to UConn in a tightly contested, 15-13, battle.
 
The Golden Eagles were edged out in the tiebreaker with Villanova to miss qualifying for the BIG EAST Championship despite finishing in fourth place with a 4-6 league mark in 2021. Marquette went 7-9 overall and welcomes back their No. 3 scorer this year in Preseason All-BIG EAST Team honoree Lydia Foust. The senior midfielder totaled 28 goals and six assists for 34 points.
 
Butler will look to improve upon its 1-11 overall mark and 0-10 BIG EAST finish from 2021. Leah Rubino led the BIG EAST with 2.33 caused turnovers per game, while Kaliee Callaghan totaled a team-best 15 points off 11 goals and four assists.
 
The top four teams in the standings qualify for the 2022 BIG EAST Women’s Lacrosse Championship presented by JEEP. Denver will serve as host of this year’s conference tournament, which is slated for May 5 and 7 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
 
BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Denver (5)                    25
2. Connecticut (1)           21
3. Georgetown                17
4. Villanova                      13
5. Marquette                   9
6. Butler                           5
(first-place votes)
 
BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Sydney Watson, UConn, Grad., M
 
BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Sydney Frank, Villanova, Sr., D
 
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Grace Coon, UConn, Sr., A*
Ariana Kline, UConn, Jr., D*
Lia LaPrise, UConn, Sr., A*
Stephanie Palmucci, UConn, Grad., A
Sydney Watson, UConn, Grad., M*
Landyn White, UConn, Sr., GK*
Bea Behrins, Denver, Grad., A*
Sammie Morton, Denver, Grad., D
Sam Thacker, Denver, Jr., D
Annabelle Albert, Georgetown, Sr., M
Kylie Hazen, Georgetown, So., A*
Lydia Foust, Marquette, Sr., M*
Sydney Frank, Villanova, Sr., D*
Libby McKenna, Villanova, Sr., M*
Alexa Tsahalis, Villanova, Sr., M
*unanimous selection