NEW YORK – After a fifth consecutive BIG EAST Championship title, 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 possible first-place votes for a total of 36 points.
Denver’s Olivia Ripple was unanimously selected as the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Connecticut's Abby Beran was unanimously 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 2025 runner-up Villanova with 28 points. UConn, who lost to Villanova in the semifinals of last year's tournament, received one first-place vote, landing in third place with 26 points. Georgetown, the other 2025 semifinalist, is in fourth place with 24 points. The poll rounded out with Marquette in fifth (16 points), Butler in sixth (11 points) and Xavier in seventh (six points).
Denver’s Ripple, a 2025 First Team All-BIG EAST selection, appeared in all 20 games for the Pioneers and finished last season with 76 points on 63 goals and 13 assists. In the BIG EAST Tournament semifinal win over Georgetown, Ripple registered seven goals as well as a career-best and conference tournament record breaking seven ground balls. In the 2025 BIG EAST title game she added four goals, capping the weekend with 11 goals and BIG EAST Most Outstanding Player honors.
UConn's Beran, a unanimous selection to the 2025 First Team All-BIG EAST and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, started all 17 games for the Huskies and finished last season with a team high 53 ground balls and 33 caused turnovers. Beran led the conference averaging 3.06 ground balls and 1.94 caused turnovers per game.
In addition to their major awards, Ripple and Beran were both unanimously voted to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Nine other players were also unanimous selections: Rayea Davis, Alex Dorr, Megan Klingenberg, Gracie Driggs, Hanna Bodner, Tess Osburn, Rose Christie, Elena Torres and Emma Verhoest.
BIG EAST Preseason Women’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Poll
First-place votes in ( )
1. Denver (6) 36 pts.
2. Villanova 28
3. UConn (1) 26
4. Georgetown 24
5. Marquette 16
6. Butler 11
7. Xavier 6
BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Olivia Ripple, A, Jr., Denver^
BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Abby Beran, D, Jr., UConn^
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team *
Abby Beran, D, Jr., UConn^
Rayea Davis, A, R-Sr., UConn^
Alex Dorr, DS, R-So., Denver^
Lexi Gwaku, GK, So. Denver
Megan Klingenberg, Sr., D- Denver^
Olivia Ripple, A, Jr., Denver^
Gracie Driggs, A, Sr., Georgetown^
Sophia Loschert, A, So., Georgetown
Kendall Steer, D, Sr., Georgetown
Hanna Bodner, M, Gr., Marquette^
Lauren Grady, M, Jr., Marquette
Tess Osburn, A, Sr., Marquette^
Mary Velner, D, Jr., Marquette
Rose Christie, M, Jr., Villanova^
Leslie Iorio, M, So., Villanova
Elena Torres, A, R-Jr., Villanova^
Emma Verhoest, DS, Jr., Villanova^