Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/31/20
From Press Release
The Richmond Spiders were selected to win the 2020 Atlantic 10 Women’s Lacrosse Championship in a poll conducted of the league’s 10 head coaches, announced Friday. Also announced was the 2020 Preseason All-Conference Team.
Richmond received 95 points in the poll with six first-place votes. Massachusetts (94) took the second spot in the poll with the remaining four first-place votes followed by Saint Joseph’s (76) in third. George Mason (73) and Duquesne (56) took the fourth and fifth spots followed by VCU (44), Davidson (41) and George Washington (31). La Salle and St. Bonaventure rounded out the poll.
Richmond returns in 2020 as the two-time defending A-10 Champion after a thrilling comeback overtime victory in last season’s championship game against UMass. The Spiders were 17-4 overall last season and 7-2 in conference play. Richmond returns 2019 Championship Most Outstanding Player, Sam Geiersbach and 2019 All-Conference selection Madison Ostrick, both named to the 2020 Preseason All-Conference team.
Massachusetts, the 2019 regular season champion and championship runner-up, finished last season with a record of 15-4 and a perfect 9-0 in conference play. The Minutewomen are led by defending Midfielder of the Year Stephanie Croke, and 2019 First Team All-Conference selection Kaitlyn Cerasi, also both named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
The Atlantic 10 Women’s Lacrosse Preseason All-Conference Team is made up of three student athletes from each field position (attack, midfield, defense), one goalie, and the next two highest vote getters. The full team can be found below.
The 2020 regular season begins Feb. 7. The 2020 A-10 Lacrosse Championship will be hosted by VCU in Richmond, Virginia. For full regular season and championship schedules, visit atlantic10.com.
Preseason All-Conference Team:
Attack:
Deanna Balsama (Washington Twp, NJ), George Mason
Kaitlyn Cerasi, Massachusetts
Sam Geiersbach, Richmond
Midfield:
Maddie Hart, Duquesne
Erin Donoghue, George Mason
Stephanie Croke, Massachusetts
Madison Ostrick, Richmond
Bridget Cerciello (Southern Lehigh), Saint Joseph’s
Defense:
Natalie Junior (Radnor), Davidson
Sydney Reed, Duquesne
Brittany Wright, Richmond
Goalie:
Melissa Semkiw, George Mason
Preseason Poll (first place votes in parenthesis)
Richmond (6)
Massachusetts (4)
Saint Joseph’s
George Mason
Duquesne
VCU
Davidson
George Washington
La Salle
St. Bonaventure
