NEW YORK – Fresh off a third consecutive BIG EAST Championship title as well as an NCAA National Semifinals appearance, Denver was unanimously selected as the BIG EAST women's lacrosse preseason favorite based on a vote of the league's head coaches. The Pioneers received all six available first-place votes for a total of 36 points.
Denver's Sam Thacker was selected as BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, while Connecticut's Kate Shaffer was picked as BIG EAST Preseason Offensive 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 2023 runner-up Connecticut, which earned 29 points to slot in at second. Coming off a BIG EAST Semifinal appearance, Villanova was voted third in the poll with 25 points, followed by Georgetown in fourth, who received the remaining first-place vote and 21 points overall. Following a BIG EAST Semifinal appearance last season, Marquette nabbed fifth with 19 points, while the poll rounded out with Butler (sixth, 10 points) and Xavier (seventh, seven points).
Following back-to-back BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors, Thacker was selected as the BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The graduate defender has been voted a Preseason First-Team All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine and was integral to a historic season for the Pioneers last year, who went undefeated in the regular season and reached the NCAA Championship Weekend for the first time in program history. Thacker anchored a defense that allowed double-digit goals just once all season, while her 53 caused turnovers ranked third nationally. She was also named the Division-I National Defender of the Year by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association and earned her second consecutive IWLCA First Team All-American award.
After earning BIG EAST Co-Attacker of the Year honors last season, Shaffer was picked as the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The graduate attacker finished second in the conference in points per game (4.39) and total points (79) last season, while being tied for third in goals with 54 and tied for sixth in assists with 25. She was also named to the All-BIG EAST First Team, helping lead the Huskies to the BIG EAST Championship and an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.
In addition to their major awards, Thacker and Shaffer (both unanimous) were voted to the 15-member Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Also recognized on the preseason team were Butler's Leah Rubino, UConn's Rayea Davis, Madelyn George, and Landyn White (unanimous); Denver's Emelia Bohi, Julia Gilbert, Abby Jenkins, Bryn McCaughey, and Trinity McPherson (unanimous); Georgetown's Tatum Geist (unanimous) and Kylie Hazen; Marquette's Leigh Steiner; and Villanova's Sydney Pappas (unanimous).
BIG EAST Preseason Poll
First Place Votes in ()
- Denver (6) 36 pts
- Connecticut 29
- Villanova 25
- Georgetown (1) 21
- Marquette 19
- Butler 10
- Xavier 7
BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Kate Shaffer, Connecticut, Gr., A
BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Sam Thacker, Denver, Gr., D
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Leah Rubino, Butler, Sr., M
Rayea Davis, Connecticut, R-So., A
Madelyn George, Connecticut, Gr., M
Kate Shaffer, Connecticut, Gr., A*
Landyn White, Connecticut, Gr., GK*
Emelia Bohi, Denver, Jr., GK
Julia Gilbert, Denver, Gr., A
Abby Jenkins, Denver, Sr., DS
Bryn McCaughey, Denver, Sr., D
Trinity McPherson, Denver, Gr., D*
Sam Thacker, Denver, Sr., D*
Tatum Geist, Georgetown, Sr., M*
Kylie Hazen, Georgetown, Sr., A
Leigh Steiner, Marquette, Sr., M
Sydney Pappas, Villanova, Jr., A*
*denotes unanimous selection