Keystone picked first in CSAC WLAX poll
ROSEMONT, Pa. – Keystone College was the pick of the coaches to win the 2020 Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) women’s lacrosse championship, according to the preseason coaches’ poll released on Friday morning.
The Giants, who advanced to the CSAC title game last season, received 33 points and three first-place votes. Notre Dame of Maryland University, who won its first CSAC title last year with a win over Keystone, was second with 30 points and two first-place votes.
Bryn Athyn College was third with 27 points and one first-place vote. Rosemont College was fourth with 15 points, with Centenary University in fifth place with 11 points and Cedar Crest College in sixth place with ten points.
Keystone College, who went 12-4 and a perfect 10-0 in CSAC play last season, opens its season on Saturday, February 22, at Manhattanville College. The Giants first CSAC game is slated for Saturday, March 21, at Notre Dame of Maryland.
Notre Dame of Maryland, who won the CSAC title with a 19-8 win over Keystone last year, went 11-6 in 2019 with a 7-3 record in CSAC play. The Gators, under first-year coach Kari-Lei Berry, opens their schedule on Wednesday, March 4, at Lancaster Bible. Their first CSAC game will be that rematch with Keystone on Saturday, March 21, in Baltimore.
Bryn Athyn College, who advanced to the CSAC semifinals last season, went 8-5 in 2019 with a 7-3 mark in the CSAC. The Lions will host Wilkes on Saturday, February 15, then take an entire month off before starting CSAC play on Saturday, March 21 with a trip to Centenary.
Rosemont College was 3-13 and 3-7 in the CSAC last season. The Ravens, who advanced to the CSAC semifinals last season, opens the 2020 season on Thursday, February 27, at Immaculata University. The Ravens open up CSAC play on Saturday, March 21, hosting Cedar Crest College.
Centenary University finished 2019 with a mark of 1-11 overall and 1-9 in CSAC play. The Cyclones, under first-year head coach Jennifer Perry, starts the 2020 season on Saturday, February 29, hosting the College of Mount Saint Vincent. The Cyclones open up CSAC play on Saturday, March 21, hosting Bryn Athyn College.
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Cedar Crest College went 2-11 last season and 2-8 in the CSAC. The Falcons will start play on Saturday, February 22, as they host Alfred University. The Falcons first CSAC game will be Saturday, March 21, at Rosemont College.
All six-teams will play a double round-robin schedule, with the championship tournament slated to start on Wednesday, April 29, with the semifinals featuring the top four teams. The championship, with the winner receiving the CSAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, is Saturday, May 2, at the highest remaining seed.