Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/8/23
From Press Release
The University of Delaware women’s lacrosse team will begin year four of the Amy Altig era on Friday as they open up against Lehigh at Delaware Stadium.
“We are excited for the 2023 season to get underway,” Altig said. “Our team has been working incredibly hard this preseason to pick up where we left off last spring. Our Hens are fired up and ready to take on a great schedule full of strong nonconference competition in preparation for our new CAA schedule.”
2022 Recap
Delaware made its first trip to the CAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. Their season was highlighted by an 11-10 victory over No. 18 nationally-ranked Temple on March 11, their first win over a ranked opponent since April 23, 2017 against James Madison. They also recorded the second most draw controls in a single season in program history at 217, and ranked fourth in the CAA in caused turnovers per game (8.06) and ground balls per game (15.29).
Delaney McDaniel was named CAA Rookie of the Year and was named to the CAA All-Rookie team. She set the UD program record for assists by a freshman in a season at 28, which ranks sixth all-time in a season at Delaware. Her 39 total points were the most by a Delaware freshman since Caitlin McCartney in 2012. She became Delaware’s fifth-ever CAA Rookie of the Year.
Madison Hranicka became Delaware’s first First-Team All-CAA selection since 2019, as she ranked seventh in the conference in caused turnovers per game and led the Blue Hens in ground balls and caused turnovers.
Danielle Livornese tied Delaware’s single-season draw control record with 81 and was named to the CAA All-Tournament Team. Sydni Rosa, in her first season with Delaware after arriving from Penn State, also was named to the conference’s All-Tournament Team.
Preseason All-CAA
McDaniel and Hranicka were both named to the 2023 CAA Preseason All-Conference Team. Delaware was one of five teams in the conference to have multiple players on the Preseason All-Conference Team, joining Stony Brook, Monmouth, Drexel, and Towson. It’s the first time a Delaware player earned Preseason All-Conference honors since Mia DeRuggiero in 2020, and the first time two Delaware players were selected since DeRuggiero and Chantae Simms in 2019. The Blue Hens were picked fifth in the CAA Preseason Poll with 25 points, trailing Stony Brook (49 points, seven first-place votes), Towson (43 points, one first-place vote), Drexel (35 points), and Hofstra (30 points). Delaware was picked ahead of Monmouth (21 points), Elon (13 points), and William & Mary (8 points).
Returners
The Blue Hens return nine starters and 25 overall players from last year’s squad. Highlighting the Delaware returnees along with McDaniel, Hranicka, Livornese, and Rosa are Lizzie Hsu, Riley Gillin (Academy of Notre Dame), Lizzie Yurchak (Hempfield), Mae Dickens, Meghan Johnson, Kellie Ann Matey (Archbishop Carroll), and Mercy McCarthy. Last season, Hsu scored 29 goals, Gilllin had 15 goals and 25 assists for a team-high 40 points, and Yurchek had 14 goals, seven assists, 21 ground balls, and 26 caused turnovers. Johnson and Matey combined to start in 33 of their possible 34 combined games. McCarthy had 130 saves in 16 games in goal. Halen Saroney, Keira Grant, Sam Schelling, and Sophia Foohey, all players who also made starts last season, also return.
Rosa, Hsu, Dickens, and Hranicka will serve as captains for the year.
Transfers
Delaware will welcome in transfers Megan Bozzi (Mainland Regional-NJ) from Coastal Carolina and Laurel McHale from Bucknell. Bozzi recorded 57 career goals and 85 career points in 48 games as a Chanticleer, while McHale had 35 goals and 56 points in 43 career games with the Bison. Laurel joins her sister, Jenna, who has been with the Blue Hens for the previous two seasons.
Incoming Freshman
Freshman coming into the program include Callie Drab, Morgan Gore, Kate Mercer, Alison Swartout, Maggie Farragher, Julia Reagan, Riley Sturtevant, McKenzie Didio, Steph Marszal, and Ellie Dassoulas.
Milestone Watch
Bozzi currently has 85 career points.
Livornese currently ranks sixth in program history in draw controls at 87. Becky Gohsler and Caitlin McCartney currently hold the UD career mark at 186.
The Schedule
Delaware opens up the season with four consecutive games at Delaware Stadium. After their opener against Lehigh, the Blue Hens host Lafayette on Feb. 15, Temple on Feb. 22, and Old Dominion on Feb. 25 to wrap up the season’s first month.
March begins with their first road game, against UMBC on the 1st. The Blue Hens are back at home against Georgetown on March 4 before heading west to play Niagara and No. 9 nationally ranked Denver. Delaware opens up CAA play on the road against conference newcomer and No. 6 nationally ranked Stony Brook on March 18, and finally return home on March 25 against Monmouth.
The Blue Hens start off April with away games against William & Mary and Hofstra. They finish the regular season against Drexel on April 15 at home, at Elon on April 22, and home against Towson on April 29. The CAA Conference Tournament is set to be played on May 4 and May 6.
Summer Gold
Head coach Amy Altig was an assistant coach on Team USA at the 2022 World Championship, helping lead the United States to a gold medal.