INDIANA, Pa. - The IUP women's lacrosse program was picked to finish third in the division as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released its 2022 preseason coaches' polls Wednesday afternoon.
Seton Hill is the favorite to win the PSAC West with five of the seven first place votes. Mercyhurst, with the remaining two first place votes, is second, with the Crimson Hawks following in third. The rest of the West includes Slippery Rock in fourth, Lock Haven in fifth, Edinboro in sixth and Gannon in seventh.
In the East Division, West Chester is the preseason favorite with four of the seven first place votes.
Last season
The Crimson Hawks went 6-6 overall in 2021, earning a PSAC tournament spot with a 6-4 record in league play. A program-record tying six players earned All-PSAC honors.
Who's back for IUP
Four of those six All-PSAC players are back and headline this year's returners. Junior
Jordan Kulp was one of the top offensive players in the region, finishing the season among the national leaders in points (57) and assists per game (2.67). Also returning are sophomores
Chantal Jimenez,
Sarah Reustle, and
Hannah Sharkey. Jimenez was the top scoring freshman on the team in 2021 with 20 goals and 23 points, also leading the team with 69 draw controls and 16 caused turnovers; Reustle was an all-purpose threat in her first year, scoring 19 points while ranking second on the team with 51 draw controls and 27 ground balls; and Sharkey was a top defender with 14 caused turnovers and 22 ground balls.
Also back is senior
Chloe Borland, who suffered a season-ending injury in the opener last season, but was among national leaders in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign with 5.25 points per game.
Follow
For coverage of the IUP softball program, follow the Crimson Hawks on Twitter and Instagram @IUPsoftball and online at IUPAthletics.com.
PSAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Polls
EAST (# of First-Place Votes)
1. West Chester (4)
2. East Stroudsburg (2)
3. Bloomsburg (1)
4. Shippensburg
5. Millersville
6. Shepherd
7. Kutztown
WEST
1. Seton Hill (5)
2. Mercyhurst (2)
3. IUP
4. Slippery Rock
5. Lock Haven
6. Edinboro
7. Gannon
