Feb. 27, 2002
Providence, R.I. – The Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team has been picked to finish third to finish third in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll.
The Irish received 26 votes after finishing third in the 2001 season with a 4-2 mark in BIG EAST play and a 10-5 record overall.
Picked to win the conference in a unanimous vote was Georgetown as the Hoyas received six first-place votes (coaches could not vote for their team) for 36 points. Syracuse was selected second with one first-place vote and 31 overall. Those two teams finished one-two in the 2001 campaign with Georgetown winning the inaugural BIG EAST title. Both teams also advanced to the NCAA tournament.
Following Notre Dame in the poll was Rutgers in fourth with 19 points, Virginia Tech in fifth with 16 votes, Connecticut sixth with 10 votes and Boston College rounded out the seven-team league in seventh with nine votes.
The coaches also named their preseason offensive and defensive Players of the Year. Senior attack standout Erin Elbe of Georgetown was the offensive selection while Syracuse’s Carrie Soults, a senior midfielder, took defensive honors.
Two Notre Dame players were named to the 12-player preseason all-BIG EAST team. The coaches selected Irish senior defender Tina Fedarcyk (Millersville, Md.) and junior midfielder Danielle Shearer (Hampstead, Md.).
Fedarcyk was an all-BIG EAST selection last season and is one of the top defensive players in the conference. As a junior she led the team with 42 ground balls while scoring three goals and two assists for five points in 15 games. Fedarcyk was part of defense that limited opponents to a school record 9.53 goals per game.
Shearer developed into an offensive force as a sophomore leading Notre Dame with 35 goals while adding 10 assists for a career-best 45 points on the season. She will be counted on to pace the Irish attack this season with the graduation of all-time leading scorer Lael O’Shaughnessy.
Notre Dame opens the 2002 season on Sunday, March 3rd when the Irish play host to the Ohio University Bobcats at 1:00 p.m. at the Loftus Center.
2002 BIG EAST Lacrosse Preseason Poll
No. Team (First place votes) BE Record/Overall Points
1. Georgetown (6) 6-0/17-3 36
2. Syracuse (1) 5-1/10-5 31
3. Notre Dame 4-2/10-5 26
4. Rutgers 2-4/7-9 19
5. Virginia Tech 3-3/6-9 16
6. Connecticut 0-6/3-13 10
7. Boston College 1-5/6-9 9
2002 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Kristen Checksfield (Rutgers) Jr. Defense
Erin Elbe (Georgetown) Sr. Attack
Tina Fedarcyk (Notre Dame) Sr. Defense
Claire Grooms (Rutgers) Jr. Attack
Kellyn Hentz (Virginia Tech) Jr. Defense
Pamela Lowie (Connecticut) Sr. Att./Mid.
Lauren Miller (Boston College) Sr. Attack
Danielle Shearer (Notre Dame) Jr. Midfield
Carrie Soults (Syracuse) Sr. Midfield
Wick Stanwick (Georgetown) Jr. Attack
Samantha Sybert (Virginia Tech) Jr. Attack
Leigh-Ann Zimmer (Syracuse) So. Attack
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Erin Elbe (Georgetown) Sr. Attack
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Carrie Soults (Syracuse) Sr. Midfield