NEW YORK – After a fourth consecutive BIG EAST Championship title, Denver was selected as the BIG EAST women's lacrosse preseason favorite based on a vote of the league's head coaches. The Pioneers received five of a possible six first-place votes for a total of 35 points.
Marquette's Meg Bireley was selected as the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Connecticut's Riley Daly was voted BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. A 17-member Preseason All-BIG EAST Team was also named. The preseason poll and awards are selected by a vote of the women's lacrosse head coaches who are not allowed to vote for their own team or players.
Following Denver in the poll was 2024 runner-up UConn with 31 points and one first-place vote. Villanova, who lost to Denver in the semifinals of last year's tournament, also received one first-place vote, landing in third place with 24 points. Georgetown, the other 2024 semifinalist, is in fourth place with 22 points. The poll rounded out with Marquette in fifth (18 points), Butler in sixth (11 points) and Xavier in seventh (six points).
Marquette's Bireley was a unanimous selection to the 2024 First Team All-BIG EAST and finished the season with 69 goals, the most of any player in the conference. She was also the only player to receive Attacker of the Week three times last season.
UConn's Daly was another unanimous selection to the 2024 First Team All-BIG EAST in addition to being an IWLCA Northeast All-Region Second Team pick. Daly finished last season with 43 draw controls, 32 ground balls and 21 turnovers caused.
In addition to their major awards, Bireley and Daly were both unanimously voted to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Seven other players were also unanimous selections: Abby Beran, Rayea Davis, Caroline Colimore, Maley Starr, Mary Moore, Sydney Pappas and Emma Verhoest.
BIG EAST Preseason Poll
(First Place Votes)
- Denver (5) 35 pts
- UConn (1) 31
- Villanova (1) 24
- Georgetown 22
- Marquette 18
- Butler 11
- Xavier 6
BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Meg Bireley, Marquette, Sr., A
BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Riley Daly, UConn, Sr., D
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
Abby Beran, UConn, So., D*
Riley Daly, UConn, Sr., D*
Rayea Davis, UConn, R-Jr., A*
Lauren Black, Denver, Sr., A
Emelia Bohi, Denver, Sr., GK
Caroline Colimore, Denver, Sr., M*
Ryan Dineen, Denver, Jr., A
Megan Klingenberg, Denver, Jr., D
Lily Athanas, Georgetown, Sr., D
Gracie Driggs, Georgetown, Jr., A
Maley Starr, Georgetown, Sr., M*
Meg Bireley, Marquette, Sr., A*
Tess Osburn, Marquette, Jr., A
Mary Moore, Villanova, So., M*
Sydney Pappas, Villanova, Sr., A*
Maddy Stoddard, Villanova, Sr., D
Emma Verhoest, Villanova, So., DS*
*denotes unanimous selection
^ extra player added due to tie in voting