NEW YORK – With the start of the season just three weeks away, the BIG EAST women's lacrosse head coaches recently took time to vote on the 2018 preseason poll. Florida earned nine of the 10 first place votes to land in first place with 81 points. The Bulldogs, entering their second season as a program, rounded out the poll in 10th.
 
"We are excited to begin our second season as a full member of the BIG EAST Conference," Head Coach Cecil Pilson stated. "We look forward to continuing to develop the program and show the NCAA Division I lacrosse community how much the Bulldogs have grown since last season."
 
Denver, who took second in the BIG EAST last season, received one vote for first place and the Pioneers are only separated by eight points from the top spot. Georgetown follows in the third spot with 62 points.

Temple and UConn are each in the BIG EAST Conference for women's lacrosse. Those two programs are picked to finish fourth and fifth in the preseason poll. Vanderbilt and Marquette are tied for the sixth spot, each receiving 37 points.
 
Villanova, Cincinnati and Butler round out the poll with 27, 19 and nine points respectively. The Bulldogs roster for 2018 features 23 freshmen and 18 returners.
 
The 2018 season opener will be played at Michigan this year with the Wolverines hosting the Bulldogs on Friday, Feb. 16. BU added the Louisville Cardinals to the schedule, a game that will go down as the home opener. Those two programs will meet at Varsity Field on Thursday, Feb. 22.
 
BIG EAST Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll
1.   Florida (9)     81
2.   Denver (1)     73
3.   Georgetown 62
4.   Temple          56
5.   Connecticut  49
6.   Vanderbilt     37
      Marquette     37
8.   Villanova       27
9.   Cincinnati      19
10. Butler            9
 
BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Lindsey Ronbeck, Florida, Jr., A
 
BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Haley Hicklen, Florida, Jr., GK
 
Preseason All-BIG EAST^
Julia Blaze, Vanderbilt, Jr., M
Katie Comerford, Villanova, So., A
Cassie Ekstrom, Connecticut, Sr., D
Julia Feiss, Denver, Jr., A
Grace Gabriel, Marquette, Jr., M*
Haley Hicklen, Florida, Jr., GK*
Kendra Lanuza, Denver, Jr., A*
Nicole Latgis, Temple, Sr., D*
Grace Nolan, Connecticut, Sr., A*
Allie Pavinelli, Florida, Sr., M
Shayna Pirreca, Florida, Sr., A
Sydney Pirreca, Florida, Jr., M*
Lindsey Ronbeck, Florida, Jr., A*
Morgan Ryan, Georgetown, Jr., A
Cara Trombetta, Florida, So., D
Francesca Whitehurst, Georgetown, Jr., M*
 
*unanimous selection
^extra player added due to a tie in voting