QU Women’s Lacrosse Tabbed Ninth in MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
12/9/2015 7:45:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
Sophomore Defender Kiera Kelly Named Preseason All-MAAC
HAMDEN, Connecticut - The Quinnipiac University women's lacrosse team was tabbed ninth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced on MAAC.tv in the Preseason Lacrosse Awards Show on Wednesday, December 9, 2015. The Bobcats return 21 student-athletes from last year's squad that includes wide array of talent, each with the same goal in mind of winning the 2016 MAAC Championship.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
Canisius, who finished the 2015 season with a 13-6 overall record and perfect 8-0 mark in MAAC play, earned the top spot in the poll with 77 points and five of the nine first place votes. The Stags made a run to the championship game but fell short of setting a league record with what would've been its fifth consecutive conference title. Fairfield, the 2016 MAAC Tournament Champion, finished runner-up in the preseason poll with 76 points and the final four first place votes. Monmouth (61) and Marist (53) snatched third and fourth, respectively. Siena (45), Niagara (34), Iona (27), Manhattan (19) and Quinnipiac (13) rounded out the census.
Preseason All-MAAC Team
Preseason Player of the Year
The MAAC also released is Preseason All-Conference Team, headlined by Bobcat sophomore Kiera Kelly (West Islip, New York) who was voted to the Preseason All-MAAC Team. Canisius' sophomore midfielder Erika Evans was tabbed the 2016 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, as voted upon by the league's nine head coaches.
Backed by the return of Kiera, the Bobcats stand a good chance of continuing to hold up defensively as the sophomore defender instantly became one of the MAAC's premier lock-down defensive specialist in her first season as a Bobcat. As a freshman, she earned a unanimous selection on to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. One of just four players to make it to the All-Rookie Team via a unanimous vote, Kiera took the starting job in the third game of the season and logged considerable minutes throughout her freshman campaign. In 16 games played (14 starts), Kiera became the first freshman in program history to lead the team in both ground balls (41) and caused turnovers (19) in a single-season. She ranked 3rd in the MAAC and 27th in the nation in ground balls per game (2.56) while she also sat 6th in the MAAC and 90th in the nation in caused turnovers per game (1.19). Kelly picked up at least two ground balls in 11-of-16 games throughout 2015 while she caused at least one turnover in 12-of-16 games this season.
As a whole, the Bobcats' defensive contingent remains largely intact although Quinnipiac will miss their three-time All-Conference defender Vicki Kuhn who graduated in 2015. Joining Kelly on the defensive unit is senior Leah Walter (Londonderry, New Hampshire) who is the Bobcats' active career leader in ground balls (47) and caused turnovers (25). Walter finished 2015 with a solid all-around campaign featuring two goals, one assist, 19 ground balls, 10 draw controls and eight caused turnovers while appearing in and starting 15 games.
On the offensive end, Quinnipiac graduated its top offensive player as Kyra Ochwat finished her career as the most decorated Bobcat in program history, becoming the first player to earn four straight All-Conference nods throughout her career. She finished her career as the all-time leading point producer (215) and goal scorer (157) in program history.
Among the players to watch who'll be taking on more of a role on offense this season includes seniors Kathleen DeVito (Glastonbury, Connecticut) and Aileen Carey (Long Beach, New York). DeVito recorded a breakout year in 2015 as she was named Quinnipiac's Most Outstanding Attack Player following the season. She finished with 40 points (29 goals, 11 assists), ranking second behind Ochwat in all three statistical categories. DeVito finished with at least one point in 14-of-16 games (87.5 percent) while she registered 10 multi-goal games and had a hand scoring or assisting on 30.8 percent (40-of-130) of the team's goals last season.
Carey headlines the Bobcats' returning midfielder unit as she started all 13 games to start last season before missing the final three games due to injury. She tallied new single-season career highs in goals (16), assists (seven), points (23), shots (39) and shots-on-goal (28) while rounding out her stat sheet with 17 ground balls, 15 draw controls and six caused turnovers. Carey's 35 career goals and 49 career points rank as the second-most among active Bobcats.
Devin Kelly (Miller Place, New York) enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign last season, totaling 13 points on eight goals and five assists in 16 games (11 starts). Her return in the attack group, coupled with classmates with potential for breakout campaigns – Danielle La Rocca (Voorhees, New Jersey) and Alexandra Hlesciak (Lumberton, New Jersey) – will need to be counted on for offensive production in 2016.
In goal, sophomore Kyle Larkin (Holbrook, New York) will be counted on to shoulder the load this season. She returns after appearing in 11 games (five starts) for the Bobcats last season. Her best game with a season-high 10 saves in 45 minutes at Yale while she picked up her first collegiate victory on March 14 at UMass Lowell.
Quinnipiac's 2016 season opens with four straight road games as the Bobcats start with an in-state showdown at UConn on Feb. 17 followed by games at Yale, Binghamton and Army. The Bobcats' 2016 home opener is slated for March 13 against UMass Lowell.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
| 1. | Canisius | 77 |
| 2. | Fairfield | 76 |
| 3. | Monmouth | 61 |
| 4. | Marist | 53 |
| 5. | Siena | 45 |
| 6. | Niagara | 34 |
| 7. | Iona | 27 |
| 8. | Manhattan | 19 |
| 9. | Quinnipiac | 13 |
Canisius, who finished the 2015 season with a 13-6 overall record and perfect 8-0 mark in MAAC play, earned the top spot in the poll with 77 points and five of the nine first place votes. The Stags made a run to the championship game but fell short of setting a league record with what would've been its fifth consecutive conference title. Fairfield, the 2016 MAAC Tournament Champion, finished runner-up in the preseason poll with 76 points and the final four first place votes. Monmouth (61) and Marist (53) snatched third and fourth, respectively. Siena (45), Niagara (34), Iona (27), Manhattan (19) and Quinnipiac (13) rounded out the census.
Preseason All-MAAC Team
| Taylor Giglio | Attack | Canisius |
| Riley Hellstein | Attack | Fairfield |
| Allison Gionta | Attack | Marist |
| Marial Pierce | Attack | Monmouth |
| Ashley Bull | Midfield | Canisius |
| Erika Evans | Midfield | Canisius |
| Kara McHugh | Midfield | Marist |
| Sami Franco | Defense | Canisius |
| Nicole Nelson | Defense | Canisius |
| Melissa Laible | Defense | Fairfield |
| Gabby Di Domizio | Defense | Iona |
| Kristina Vangeli | Defense | Monmouth |
| Kara Martin | Defense | Niagara |
| Kiera Kelly | Defense | Quinnipiac |
| Chelsey Sidaras | Goalie | Fairfield |
| Erika Evans | Midfield | Canisius |
The MAAC also released is Preseason All-Conference Team, headlined by Bobcat sophomore Kiera Kelly (West Islip, New York) who was voted to the Preseason All-MAAC Team. Canisius' sophomore midfielder Erika Evans was tabbed the 2016 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, as voted upon by the league's nine head coaches.
Backed by the return of Kiera, the Bobcats stand a good chance of continuing to hold up defensively as the sophomore defender instantly became one of the MAAC's premier lock-down defensive specialist in her first season as a Bobcat. As a freshman, she earned a unanimous selection on to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. One of just four players to make it to the All-Rookie Team via a unanimous vote, Kiera took the starting job in the third game of the season and logged considerable minutes throughout her freshman campaign. In 16 games played (14 starts), Kiera became the first freshman in program history to lead the team in both ground balls (41) and caused turnovers (19) in a single-season. She ranked 3rd in the MAAC and 27th in the nation in ground balls per game (2.56) while she also sat 6th in the MAAC and 90th in the nation in caused turnovers per game (1.19). Kelly picked up at least two ground balls in 11-of-16 games throughout 2015 while she caused at least one turnover in 12-of-16 games this season.
As a whole, the Bobcats' defensive contingent remains largely intact although Quinnipiac will miss their three-time All-Conference defender Vicki Kuhn who graduated in 2015. Joining Kelly on the defensive unit is senior Leah Walter (Londonderry, New Hampshire) who is the Bobcats' active career leader in ground balls (47) and caused turnovers (25). Walter finished 2015 with a solid all-around campaign featuring two goals, one assist, 19 ground balls, 10 draw controls and eight caused turnovers while appearing in and starting 15 games.
On the offensive end, Quinnipiac graduated its top offensive player as Kyra Ochwat finished her career as the most decorated Bobcat in program history, becoming the first player to earn four straight All-Conference nods throughout her career. She finished her career as the all-time leading point producer (215) and goal scorer (157) in program history.
Among the players to watch who'll be taking on more of a role on offense this season includes seniors Kathleen DeVito (Glastonbury, Connecticut) and Aileen Carey (Long Beach, New York). DeVito recorded a breakout year in 2015 as she was named Quinnipiac's Most Outstanding Attack Player following the season. She finished with 40 points (29 goals, 11 assists), ranking second behind Ochwat in all three statistical categories. DeVito finished with at least one point in 14-of-16 games (87.5 percent) while she registered 10 multi-goal games and had a hand scoring or assisting on 30.8 percent (40-of-130) of the team's goals last season.
Carey headlines the Bobcats' returning midfielder unit as she started all 13 games to start last season before missing the final three games due to injury. She tallied new single-season career highs in goals (16), assists (seven), points (23), shots (39) and shots-on-goal (28) while rounding out her stat sheet with 17 ground balls, 15 draw controls and six caused turnovers. Carey's 35 career goals and 49 career points rank as the second-most among active Bobcats.
Devin Kelly (Miller Place, New York) enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign last season, totaling 13 points on eight goals and five assists in 16 games (11 starts). Her return in the attack group, coupled with classmates with potential for breakout campaigns – Danielle La Rocca (Voorhees, New Jersey) and Alexandra Hlesciak (Lumberton, New Jersey) – will need to be counted on for offensive production in 2016.
In goal, sophomore Kyle Larkin (Holbrook, New York) will be counted on to shoulder the load this season. She returns after appearing in 11 games (five starts) for the Bobcats last season. Her best game with a season-high 10 saves in 45 minutes at Yale while she picked up her first collegiate victory on March 14 at UMass Lowell.
Quinnipiac's 2016 season opens with four straight road games as the Bobcats start with an in-state showdown at UConn on Feb. 17 followed by games at Yale, Binghamton and Army. The Bobcats' 2016 home opener is slated for March 13 against UMass Lowell.
Players Mentioned
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