Feb. 3, 2012

BALTIMORE - The Loyola University Maryland women's lacrosse program has earned a pair of top-10 preseason rankings from the deBeer Women's Poll and the IWLCA Coaches Poll. The Greyhounds, coming off their first-ever BIG EAST Championship, have been picked by both polls to start the season ranked seventh nationally.

Loyola comes in as the top-ranked team from the BIG EAST in both polls. Four conference schools are ranked in the top-20 of the IWLCA poll, with Syracuse coming in second at No. 12, while Georgetown is 15th and Notre Dame rounds out the poll at No. 20. In the deBeer Media Poll, Syracuse was picked 12th, with the Hoyas one spot behind at 13th.

Northwestern - the reigning national champions - have been picked first in both polls, following by Maryland. North Carolina has been picked third by the coaches, while Florida was tabbed third in the media poll.

Loyola returns 17 letterwinners, including seven starters, from a squad that went 17-3 a year ago, tying a school record for wins in a season. The Greyhounds also posted their best-ever BIG EAST record in program history (6-2) and climbed to as high as No. 3 in the national rankings.

In addition, Loyola led the nation in caused turnovers per game last year and returns preseason All-American Ana Heneberry - the BIG EAST Preseason Defender of the Year - to the backline.

The Greyhounds will open their 2012 season on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Virginia. The Cavaliers have been picked 10th in the coaches poll and 11th in the media poll.