Lacrosse program checks in at 14 in IWLCA Coaches Preseason Poll Monday

Boston College, the 2018 NCAA Runners-Up, claimed the top spot in the 2019 IWLCA Division I Coaches Pre-Season Poll, claiming 22 of the 25 available first place votes. The Eagles are coming off a 22-2 season last year and are followed closely by the University of Maryland and the University of North Carolina, who are tied at number two in the poll. The defending NCAA Champions, James Madison University, checks in at number four after an historic 2018 campaign. Stony Brook University is ranked fifth, followed closely by Florida, Northwestern, and Princeton. Loyola and Penn round out the top ten in the pre-season rankings by the coaches. The ACC landed two teams in the top ten, and seven of eight members are ranked in the pre-season Top 25. The Big Ten claimed two top ten spots, and four total teams in the top 25 mix, while the Ivy League and PAC-12 each landed three teams in the poll. The CAA and Big East each place two squads in the poll.
 
The Hokies, who begin the 2019 season at home on Saturday, Feb. 9 against Bucknell finished a historic 2018 season 14-7 in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. The program recorded the most wins in its history (14), best ACC finish (5-2), first ACC Tournament win, first inclusion in the NCAA Tournament and subsequent postseason victory for the program. 
 
Tech placed four players on the ACC's First Team, including All-American Paige Petty who is poised to return for her sophomore season. 
 
Tech will face 10 squads on the preseason Top 25 in 2019 including; Boston College, North Carolina, JMU, Syracuse, Virginia, Colorado, Denver, Notre Dame, USC and Duke. 
 
First draw for the Hokies' 25thseason of competition is set for 1 p.m. against the Bucknell Bison on Saturday, Feb. 9. 
 
The entire preseason poll can be found below: