BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Loyola Maryland collected three of the four 2023 Patriot League women’s lacrosse preseason major awards and was selected atop the preseason poll when the League office honors on Tuesday.
The three-time defending champion Greyhounds received 166 points and 18 first-place votes. Army West Point finished second with 152 points, while Navy placed third with 136 points and garnered the remaining two first-place votes. Lehigh (112), Colgate (90) and American (77) make up the top-six. Bucknell (59), Boston University (49), Holy Cross (45) and Lafayette (18) round out the preseason poll.
The Greyhounds placed a League-high four student-athletes on the 16-member Preseason All-Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse team, highlighted by the three preseason major awards winners. Army West Point and Lehigh had three selections apiece, while Navy finished with two honorees. American, Boston University, Bucknell and Colgate each had one student-athlete voted onto the preseason squad.
Voting for the Patriot League women’s lacrosse preseason poll, major awards and All-League team is conducted by League head coaches and sports information directors. Neither group was permitted to vote for their own student-athletes or team.
2023 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Attacker of the Year
Georgia Latch, Loyola Maryland, So., Attack, Melbourne, Australia/Williamstown
Career Stats: 22 games played, 38 goals, 38 assists, 76 points, 16 ground balls, 6 caused turnovers, 1 draw controls
*Latch was the 2022 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, a First Team All-League selection and an IWLCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team honoree.
*The Melbourne, Australia native recorded eight hat tricks and six games with five or more points, including a pair of six-point performances against No. 10 Princeton and Boston University.
*She finished among the League leaders in points per game (3.45) and assists per game (1.73).
2023 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Midfielder of the Year
Jillian Wilson, Loyola Maryland, Gr., Midfielder, Hampstead, Md./Gerstell Academy
Career Stats: 63 games played, 120 goals, 40 assists, 160 points, 82 ground balls, 56 caused turnovers, 251 draw controls
*Wilson was the 2022 Patriot League Midfielder of the Year and a two-time First Team All-Patriot League selection.
*She earned Second Team All-America honors from the IWLCA and
US Lacrosse Magazine last season after finishing 11th in NCAA DI in draw controls (133) and 25th in short percentage (.552).
*The Hampstead, Md. native finished with 48 goals, 13 assists and 31 ground balls to help the Greyhounds advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
2023 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Katie Detwiler, Loyola Maryland, Gr., Defender, Devon, Pa./Archbishop John Carroll
Career Stats: 3 goals, 1 assist, 4 points, 76 ground balls, 48 caused turnovers, 117 draw controls
*Detwiler is a two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and two-time First Team All-Patriot League selection, in addition to earning League defensive player of the week 11 times during her career.
*The three-time
ILWomen All-American and two-time IWLCA All-America selection was a top-25 semifinalist for the Tewaaraton Award following the 2022 season.
*She anchored a Greyhounds’ defense that ranked third in the nation in goals-against average (8.05) and fifth in clear percentage (.924).
2023 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Hayley Hunt, Lehigh, Jr., Goalkeeper, Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter
Career Stats: 18 games played, 10.88 goals-against average, 216 saves, .543 save percentage
*Hunt earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors and an honorable mention All-America nod by
USA Lacrosse Magazine and
ILWomen following her first season as Lehigh’s starter.
*She finished third in the Patriot League and 25th in NCAA DI with a 10.87 goals-against average, while picking up a League-best 2.67 groundballs per game.
*The Philadelphia native received Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week and IWLCA National Co-Defensive Player of the Week on April 26, 2022, after stopping 30-of-40 shots in victories against Lafayette and Holy Cross.
2023 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. Loyola Maryland, 166 points (18 first-place votes)
2. Army West Point, 152
3. Navy, 136 (2)
4. Lehigh, 112
5. Colgate, 90
6. American, 77
7. Bucknell, 59
8. Boston University, 49
9. Holy Cross, 45
10. Lafayette, 18
2023 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Major Awards
Attacker of the Year – Georgia Latch, Loyola Maryland, So., A
Midfielder of the Year – Jillian Wilson, Loyola Maryland, Gr., M
Defensive Player of the Year – Katie Detwiler, Loyola Maryland, Gr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year – Hayley Hunt, Lehigh, Jr., GK
2023 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason All-League
Jordan Mitchell, American, Jr., D
Kathleen Sullivan, Army West Point, Sr., A
Julia Gorajek, Army West Point, Jr., A
Jolie Riedell, Army West Point, Sr., M
Jen Barry, Boston University, Sr., A
Ella Payer, Bucknell, Sr., D
Cara O’Reilly, Colgate, Sr., M
Hayley Hunt, Lehigh, Jr., GK
Gabby Schneider, Lehigh, Sr., A
Emma Eberhardt, Lehigh, Sr., M
Georgia Latch, Loyola Maryland, So., A
Sydni Black, Loyola Maryland, Jr., A
Jillian Wilson, Loyola Maryland, Gr., M
Katie Detwiler, Loyola Maryland, Gr., D
Erin Carson, Navy, Sr., D
Leelee Denton, Navy, Jr., A
2023 Patriot League Preseason Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Team by the Numbers
Thirteen Preseason Honorees Earned 2022 All-Patriot League Honors
Thirteen of the 16 preseason honorees were named to one of the two 2022 All-Patriot League teams, including seven first-team selections and three major award winners. Loyola Maryland’s Detwiler, the two-time defensive player of the year, highlights the preseason team along with teammates Wilson (2022 Patriot League Midfielder of the Year) and Latch (2022 Patriot League Rookie of the Year). Army West Point junior attack Julia Gorajek and senior midfielder Jolie Riedell, Lehigh senior attack Gabby Schneider and senior midfielder Emma Eberhardt joined the Loyola trio on the 2022 first team.
Hunt, the preseason goalkeeper of the year, was a second-team honoree following last season, along with American junior defender Jordan Mitchell, Army West Point senior attack Kathleen Sullivan, Bucknell senior defender Ella Payer, Colgate senior midfielder Cara O’Reilly and Loyola junior attack Sydni Black.
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The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athlete can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.