Syracuse ranks 3rd in IL/IWLCA preseason poll

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Syracuse women’s lacrosse ranked No. 3 in the Inside Lacrosse and Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association preseason poll released Monday. The Orange will play 10 teams in the preseason top 15.

The Orange sit behind fellow Atlantic Coast Conference opponents Boston College and North Carolina, who rank first and second, respectively. The Eagles defeated Syracuse 16-10 in the National Championship game last year after the teams split the regular season series and SU beat BC in the ACC Tournament. The defeat was SU’s third NCAA title game loss in program history. Last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Orange twice, winning 9-4 in the ACC Championship and 17-6 in the teams’ regular season matchup.

The Orange will play eight teams ranked in the preseason top 10, including matches against BC, No. 4 Northwestern, No. 7 Florida and No. 10 Loyola Maryland — every opponent it faced in the tournament last year. They also face the Tar Heels, No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 8 Duke. The ACC has six teams in the top 25, tied for the most in a single conference with the Big Ten.

USA Lacrosse Magazine named five Syracuse players to its Preseason All-American teams, led by Emily Hawryschuk and Sarah Cooper as first-team honors. Sam Swart and Meaghan Tyrrell earned second-team honors while Megan Carney was named to the third. Both Hawryschuk and Carney will be returning from season-ending ACL tears. Tyrrell led the team with 68 goals and Carney finished second with 49 before the injury.

SU opens its 2022 season against No. 13 Stanford on Feb. 11 at the Carrier Dome.