FDU - FLORHAM FAVORED IN FREEDOM CONFERENCE WOMEN’S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL

Annville, PA – FDU-Florham topped the annual Freedom Conference women’s lacrosse coach’s preseason poll, earning 35 points and five first place votes. The FDU-Florham Devils posted a 13-7 record in 2011 and advanced to the MAC Tournament for the fifth consecutive season.

This is the first season the former MAC is split into the Commonwealth and Freedom Conferences. With the split of the two Conferences, comes a change in the Conference Tournament forma t. The teams will have separate Conference Tournaments that will allow for both the Commonwealth and Freedom Tournament winners to receive automatic berths into the NCAA Division III National Tournament, although the Freedom automatic qualifier will not kick in until 2013.

Head Coach Adrienne Carr enters her 9th season at FDU and she is looking for the Devils to expand on last season with a good mixture of veterans and newcomers.

The Devils will be led by senior midfielder Breana Kilpatrick, a 2nd Team All-MAC performer last year. In 2011, Kilpatrick was second on the team with 45 goals and third in assists (12) and points (57). She will be joined on the offensive attack by juniors Ashley Schlindwein (9g, 8a, 17p) and Sara Slicklen (12g, 4a, 16p).

The defense will be comprised of almost entirely new faces as the lone returner will be junior Katie Rolwood, who started all 20 games last season.

On February 29th, the Devils open their season hosting St. Joseph’s (NY). The Freedom Conference Tournament begins May 2 with semifinal games, followed by the championship game on May 5. All tournament games are at the campus of the higher seed.

2012 FREEDOM CONFERENCE WOMEN’S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
1. FDU-Florham 35 pts. (5)
2. Eastern 30 pts. (2)
3. Manhattanville 26 pts.
4. Arcadia 21 pts.
5. King’s 15 pts.
6. Misericordia 14 pts.
7. Wilkes 6 pts.
(#) denotes first place votes