Women’s lacrosse: Goalie Bianco (Moorestown) helps #B1GCats get picked second in Preseason Coaches Poll

Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/26/15
From Press Release

The Northwestern women’s lacrosse program has been picked to finish second by the Big Ten coaches in its preseason poll, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Northwestern senior Kara Mupo, senior Bridget Bianco (Morestown) and junior Kaleigh Craig were named Big Ten Players to Watch.

Defending national champion Maryland was a unanimous choice to claim the first-ever league title ahead of the Wildcats. The two squads will play the first-ever lacrosse game in conference history when they square off at Lakeside Field on Thursday, March 26.

Ohio State and Penn State were picked tied for third, while Rutgers and Michigan rounded out the poll. Each of the preseason top four qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season.

The Big Ten announced on June 3, 2013 the addition of both men’s and women’s lacrosse as the conference’s 27th and 28th official sports. Northwestern was previously a part of the now disbanded American Lacrosse Conference, winning eight league titles in 13 seasons.

Bianco, a third-year starter in the cage and preseason third-team All-American by Inside Lacrosse, earned IWLCA third-team All-America honors as a sophomore and was one of 25 final nominees for the 2014 Tewaaraton Award last season. She ranked 11th nationally with a 8.15 goals-against average last season and was named an All-ALC second-team honoree, while also earning NCAA All-Tournament team honors.

The Wildcats open the 2015 season Saturday, Feb. 7 at 5 p.m. (CT) at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum versus USC.

2015 Big Ten Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll

(1) MARYLAND

(2) Northwestern

(T-3) Ohio State

(T-3) Penn State

(5) Rutgers

(6) Michigan

Unanimous selection in ALL CAPS

Players to Watch

MARYLAND

Megan Douty, Sr., D

Brooke Griffin, Sr., A

Kelly McPartland, Sr., M

MICHIGAN

Jess Angerman, So., A

Kim Coughlin, So., M

Anna Schueler, So., M

NORTHWESTERN

Bridget Bianco (Moorestown), Sr., G

Kaleigh Craig, Jr., M

Kara Mupo, Sr., A

OHIO STATE

Katie Chase, Sr., A

Jackie Cifarelli, Sr., A

Tori DeScenza, Sr., G

PENN STATE

Tatum Coffey, Sr., M

Madison Cyr, Jr., M

Maggie McCormick, Sr., A

RUTGERS

Kristin Kocher, Jr., M

Lauren Sbrilli, Sr., M

Erin Turkot, Sr., M