Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/7/18
From Press Release
Coastal Carolina junior Harley Barrett (Perkiomen Valley) was voted the 2018 ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and the Chants were picked to finish first in a vote of the league’s head coaches. The Chanticleers are entering their second season of women’s lacrosse competition in the ASUN.
The conference will have a new look after partnering with the Southern Conference and allowing Furman, Mercer, Central Michigan, Detroit Mercy and Delaware State to join Wofford in another six-team league.
Coastal was selected the preseason favorite, garnering four first-place votes and totaling 34 points. The Chanticleers was the top seed in the conference tournament last season but lost to the second-seeded Dolphins of Jacksonville in the tournament final.
“Being picked first in the conference is a tremendous honor. Our ASUN counterparts are incredibly talented and we should acknowledge that they make us better every game,” said head coach Kristen Selvage. “Coastal is ready to take the field this season and we are beyond excited to defend the #1 position. We know the competition will be fierce, but we proudly accept the challenge and welcome another highly competitive season in the ASUN.”
Jacksonville, the 2017 ASUN tournament champion, was picked second with 30 points and one of the final two first-place votes. Old Dominion, the only ASUN team to defeat the Chants in regular season play, was selected third with the final first-place vote and 26 points. Kennesaw State (16) was tabbed fourth, followed by Stetson (15) and Howard (6) in fifth and sixth to finish out the poll.
Barrett is one of four returning players in the league that earned All-Conference honors last season. Along with Barrett, Emily D’Orsaneo, Megan Kilpatrick, Courtney Genovese, Sophie Crowther and Haley Alexander were other Chants to be tabbed on the preseason All-Conference team.
“We couldn’t be happier with this group of young women and the chemistry that they have with one another. While we are return a very talented lineup, our bench is very deep with talent,” stated Selvage. “We have natural leaders in this group that will take over on the field, but we expect our success to be a variety show and a constant evolution of strategy based on our growing talents. They have been extremely focused on building their small game individually and as a team has been committed to amplifying the foundation they laid last season.”
The native of Perkionmenville, Pa., Barrett won defensive player of the week twice in 2017, led the conference with a 50.7 save percentage and was sixth in goals allowed, second in goals allowed average, third in win percentage and fourth in total saves.
“Harley continues to improve and impress our coaching staff. She is sharp, has a high lax IQ and has taken on a whole new level of leadership this season” Selvage said. “We are very proud of her and cannot wait to see what she does this year.”
2018 ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team
Pos. Name School Year
GK #* Harley Barrett Coastal Carolina Junior
D #Emily Barton Jacksonville Senior
D Kerri Caruso Old Dominion Senior
D @ Emily D’Orsaneo Coastal Carolina Sophomore
D Megan Kilpatrick Coastal Carolina Sophomore
M #*Ashtyn Hiron Jacksonville Sophomore
M #** Courtney Genovese Coastal Carolina Senior
M Sophie Crowther Coastal Carolina Senior
M Cydney Tutchton Old Dominion Senior
A #Haley Swift Kennesaw State Sophomore
A Haley Alexander Coastal Carolina Junior
A Connor Zophy Kennesaw State Senior
# denote unanimous selection
* denotes 2017 First-Team All-Conference
** denotes 2017 Second-Team All-Conference
@ denotes 2017 All-Freshman Team