CLEVELAND, OH – Denison has been tabbed as the unanimous favorite for the 2025 North Coast Athletic Conference women’s lacrosse season, based on votes submitted by the league coaches.
Denison, in pursuit of its league-leading 24th NCAC title, secured the top spot in the preseason coaches’ poll with 49 points and all seven first-place votes. Kenyon followed in second with 40 points, while Ohio Wesleyan landed in third with 36 points. DePauw (26) secured the fourth spot, followed by Wooster (23) in fifth, Oberlin (13) in sixth and Wittenberg (9) in seventh.
Denison returns three All-NCAC selections from 2024, including senior defender
Mary Daniel (Wellesley, MA/Wellesley) and junior midfielders
Bridget Sheehy (Pawleys Island, SC/Westminster) and
Mary Martinson (Concord, NH/Concord), who helped lead the Big Red to a 15-5 overall record, a 6-0 conference mark, the NCAC Championship and Tournament titles, and an NCAA tournament berth. Daniel, the 2024 NCAC Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-NCAC first-team selection, anchored the Denison defense that led the conference in caused turnovers (13.30 per game) and goals-against average (9.70). In six conference starts, the defender earned a team-high 28 draw controls, to go along with 13 ground balls and eight caused turnovers. In 20 games, Daniel totaled 86 draw controls, 35 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers. Sheehy, who earned All-NCAC first-team honors a season ago, was a key contributor for Denison last season starting all 20 games and finishing her sophomore campaign with 28 goals, 28 assists, 56 points, 25 ground balls, 25 caused turnovers, and 36 draw controls. In NCAC play, Sheehy tallied seven goals, eight assists, nine ground balls, eight draw controls and six caused turnovers. Martinson, a 2024 third-team all-conference selection, returns to the field after starting in 19-of-20 games and finishing with 31 goals, one assist, 25 ground balls, 19 caused turnovers, and 48 draw controls. In conference action, she scored nine goals, picked up 10 ground balls, caused eight turnovers, and earned 16 draw controls.
The 2025 season begins on Saturday, February 15th, while the first league game is slated for Friday, April 4th. The NCAC Tournament begins with semifinals on Wednesday, April 30th, with the tournament final scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd.
2025 North Coast Athletic Conference
Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses, followed by total points) |
|
| 1 |
Denison (7) |
49 |
| 2 |
Kenyon |
40 |
| 3 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
36 |
| 4 |
DePauw |
26 |
| 5 |
Wooster |
23 |
| 6 |
Oberlin |
13 |
| 7 |
Wittenberg |
9 |