Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/14/10
From Press Releases and Staff Reports
Senior defender Kelly Barnes (Jenkintown) is one of five members of the defending champion Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Lacrosse League Fairfield women’s lacrosse team selected to the Preseason all-league team.
Fairfield also was picked to repeat as league champion by the conference coaches, and junior Kristen Coleman was selected as the league’s preseason Player of the Year. She is joined on the preseason All-MAAC Team by Barnes, Erin Rigby, Amy Kelleher and Brittany Bare.
“To have five players selected to the preseason All-MAAC Team, and be voted first in the poll is a testament to the success that we have had in the past two seasons,” said second-year Stags head coach Mike Waldvogel. “However, we know that we have some big shoes to fill and are going to have to work very hard on a daily basis to be able to finish the year at the top of the standings.”
Fairfield received six first place votes in picking up 48 points in the poll of the seven head coaches. Canisius, which also received a first-place vote, is second in the poll with 39 points. The Stags opponent in each of the last two MAAC Championship games, Marist, is third with 34 points, while Manhattan was voted fourth with 28 points. Iona earned 21 points in the poll to be tabbed fifth, with Siena (16) and Niagara (10) rounding out the poll.
Barnes and Kelleher are the backbone of the Stags defensive unit and are both coming off of First-Team All-MAAC seasons. Barnes had a team-best 42 draw controls last season, the fourth highest single-season total in program history. She has appeared in 57 games, with 48 starts, including all 20 last season. She also was all-MAAC Academic last year.
The Stags begin their hunt for a second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth on Sunday, February 21 when they host Monmouth at noon. Fairfield is 34-5 over the last two seasons, winning 12 consecutive regular season games against MAAC foes in that time.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1) Fairfield 48
2) Canisius 39
3) Marist 34
4) Manhattan 28
5) Iona 21
6) Siena 16
7) Niagara 10
Preseason All-MAAC Team
Erin Rigby, Fairfield
Carolyn Hickey, Manhattan
Brett Poissant, Canisius
Brittany Bare, Fairfield
Kristen Coleman, Fairfield
Chrissy Gutenberger, Manhattan
Keri Morrison, Manhattan
Lauren Ciccarello, Marist
Alison Rusak, Canisius
Kelly Barnes, Fairfield
Amy Kelleher, Fairfield
Allison Daley, Canisius
Preseason Player of the Year
Kristen Coleman, Fairfield
