The University of Florida lacrosse team nabbed its second preseason ranking for the 2011 season as the Gators were ranked No. 17 by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). Florida was also 17th in Lacrosse Magazine’s Preseason Poll.
Defending national champion Maryland headlines the publication's top five, followed by Northwestern, North Carolina, Duke and Syracuse. Second-year head coach Amanda O’Leary and the Gators will begin the 2011 season on Feb. 12 at Fetzer Field on the campus of the University of North Carolina, when UF visits for the season opener.
The ALC and the Big East both claim four schools. In the ALC, Northwestern opens at No. 2, and Vanderbilt starts the second half of the poll at No. 11, while Penn State comes in at No. 16. The Gators open ALC play on March 26 in the friendly confines of Dizney Stadium against Ohio State.
The Gators have the only top-20 matchup in the opening weekend, while the No. 10 Fighting Irish face California on Feb. 11, and on Feb. 13 the No. 13 Cardinal host Notre Dame.
The Maryland Terrapins, the 2010 NCAA Division I champions, open up the 2011 season where they closed out 2010—on top of the poll. The Terps garnered 19 of the 20 first place votes, edging out the 2010 runner-up and ALC Champion Northwestern. Maryland is one of five ACC schools in the rankings, tying the record for most schools from one conference in the Division I rankings.
The ACC leads all conferences with five schools, marking the second consecutive year that one conference has had five schools in the top-20 as the Big East claimed five schools on March 15, 2010. North Carolina and Duke come in at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, and Virginia is tied at No. 7. Boston College enters the rankings at No. 19.
All four of the Big East schools rank in the top-12, with Syracuse leading the way at No. 5. Georgetown is tied for the No. 7 slot, and Notre Dame closes out the top-10 at No. 10. Loyola enters the season ranked No. 12.
The CAA has three institutions in the rankings, starting with JMU at No. 9. Towson is ranked No. 15, and Hofstra closes out the poll at No. 20. The Ivy League has two ranked schools, including No. 6 Penn and No. 14 Dartmouth. Stanford at No. 13 is the lone representative for the MPSF while Boston University from the America East is No. 18.
IWLCA Division I Preseason Poll (9 Feb 2011)
2010 Record Votes (1st pl)
1. Maryland 22-1 399 (19)
2. Northwestern 20-2 377 (1)
3. North Carolina 17-3 362
4. Duke 14-6 328
5. Syracuse 15-7 316
6. Pennsylvania 15-4 281
7t. Georgetown 13-6 274
7t. Virginia 14-6 274
9. James Madison 17-3 226
10. Notre Dame 11-7 210
11. Vanderbilt 12-6 204
12. Loyola 11-7 157
13. Stanford 15-6 156
14. Dartmouth 11-5 135
15. Towson 13-5 131
16. Penn State 10-7 104
17. Florida 10-8 46
18. Boston University 11-9 38
19. Boston College 12-6 33
20. Hofstra 12-6 30
Also receiving votes: Albany, Denver, Johns Hopkins, Navy, Princeton, Rutgers, William & Mary
