BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Loyola Maryland ranked atop the 2024 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll and collected three of the four major awards when the League office announced preseason honors on Wednesday.
Head coach Jen Adams and the four-time defending Patriot League Champion Greyhounds received 162 points and 18 first-place votes. Army West Point, coming off the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance, ranked second with 140 points and two first-place votes. Navy (132) and Lehigh (118) placed third and fourth, respectively, in the preseason poll after advancing to the League semifinals in 2023.
Boston University (92) and Holy Cross (74) ranked fifth and sixth, with Colgate (59), American (53), Bucknell (51) and Lafayette (19) rounding out the preseason poll.
The Greyhounds placed a League-high five student-athletes on the 16-member Preseason All-Patriot League squad, highlighted by three preseason major-award winners. Georgia Latch (Jr., A) earned Patriot League Preseason Attacker of the Year, Lily Osborne (Jr., D) received preseason midfielder of the year and Lauren Spence (Jr., GK) was voted preseason goalkeeper of the year.
Lehigh and Navy had three representatives apiece on the preseason All-League squad. Army West Point received two, including preseason midfielder of the year Brigid Duffy (So., M), the defending Patriot League Rookie of the Year. American, Bucknell and Holy Cross each had one preseason selection.
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 student-athletes or team.
2024 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Attacker of the Year
Georgia Latch, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Attack, Melbourne, Australia/Williamstown
Career Stats: 44 games played, 83 goals, 82 assists, 165 points, .454 SH%, .743 SOG%, 33 GBs
*Latch is a two-time First Team All-Patriot League selection and reigning Patriot League Attacker of the Year.
*She finished second in the League in assists (44) and points (89) last season, ranking 13th and 17, respectively, in NCAA DI in the two categories.
*The junior attacker earned Third Team All-America accolades from the IWLCA and
ILWomen last in 2023.
2024 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Midfielder of the Year
Brigid Duffy, Army West Point, So., Midfielder, Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury
Career Stats: 19 games played, 56 goals, 26 assists, 82 points, .409 SH%, .650 SOG%, 35 GBs, 19 CTs, 90 DCs
*Duffy was selected Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Rookie of the Year, First Team All-League and earned All-America honors from USA Lacrosse (Second Team) and
ILWomen (Third Team) last season.
*She finished second in the League and 35th in NCAA DI with 2.95 goals per game, in addition to finishing second in the League and 29th in the nation with 4.32 points per game.
*The Queensbury, N.Y. native was the top goal-scoring freshman in NCAA DI (56 goals) and broke Army West Point’s single-season points record (82 points) to help the Black Knights advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
2024 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Lily Osborne, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Defender, Oxford, Md./Easton
Career Stats: 43 games played, 3 goals, 3 points, 34 GBs, 17 CTs, 4 DCs
*Osborne earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors last season, helping the Greyhounds to the second-ranked scoring defense in NCAA DI (7.09 goals per game).
*The Oxford, Md. native started all 22 games, finishing with 18 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers.
*She picked up two ground balls apiece in Loyola Maryland’s NCAA Tournament victories over Fairfield (11-6) and Stony Brook (9-8), while helping hold both teams to single-digit goals.
2024 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Lauren Spence, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Goalkeeper, Evergreen, Colo./Evergreen
Career Stats:35 games played, 1,353:43 minutes, 7.09 GAA, .518 SV%, 19 W, 3 L
*Spence earned 2023 Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-League honors in her first season as the Greyhounds’ starter.
*The Evergreen, Colo. native led the Patriot League and ranked second in NCAA DI in goals-against average (7.18) while finishing fifth in NCAA DI in save percentage (5.20).
*She earned All-America honors from the IWLCA (Third Team), USA Lacrosse Magazine (Third Team) and ILWomen (Honorable Mention).
2024 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. Loyola Maryland (18 first-place votes), 162
2. Army West Point (2), 140
3. Navy, 132
4. Lehigh, 118
5. Boston University 92
6. Holy Cross, 74
7. Colgate, 59
8. American, 53
9. Bucknell, 51
10. Lafayette 19
2024 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Major Awards
Attacker of the Year – Georgia Latch, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Midfielder of the Year – Brigid Duffy, Army West Point, So.
Defensive Player of the Year – Lily Osborne, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Goalkeeper of the Year – Lauren Spence, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
2024 Preseason Women’s Lacrosse All-Patriot League Team
Hannah Spease, American, Sr., Midfielder
Brigid Duffy, Army West Point, So., Attacker
Julia Gorajek, Army West Point, Sr., Attacker
Allie Boyce, Bucknell, Jr., Attacker
Lauren Drillock, Holy Cross, Sr., Attacker
Hayley Hunt, Lehigh, Sr., Goalkeeper
Olivia Memeger, Lehigh, Sr., Attacker
Gabby Schneider, Lehigh, Gr., Attacker
Georgia Latch, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Attacker
Lauren Spence, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Goalkeeper
Sydni Black, Loyola Maryland, Sr., Attacker
Lily Osborne, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Defender
Chase Boyle, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Midfielder
Ava Yovino, Navy, So., Midfielder
Emily Messinese, Navy, Jr., Midfielder
Leelee Denton, Navy, Sr., Attacker
2023 Patriot League Preseason Women’s Lacrosse Team by the Numbers
All Sixteen Preseason Honorees are Returning All-Patriot League Honorees
All 16 preseason honorees were selected to one of the two 2023 All-Patriot League teams, including 12 first-team selections and three major award winners. Loyola Maryland junior Georgia Latch is a two-time All-League selection and 2023 Patriot League Attacker of the Year, while teammate Lauren Spence was a 2023 first-team honoree and the League’s Goalkeeper of the Year. Army West Point sophomore midfielder Brigid Duffy collected League Rookie of the Year honors and a spot on the first team.
Army West Point senior attacker Julia Gorajek, Lehigh senior goalkeeper Hayley Hunt, senior attacker Olivia Memeger and graduate student attacker Gabby Schneider, Loyola Maryland senior attacker Sydni Black and junior midfielder Chase Boyle, Navy sophomore midfielder Ava Yovino, junior midfielder Emily Messinese and senior attacker Leelee Denton all made the 2023 All-Patriot League First Team.
Four more preseason honorees made the 2023 second team, including American senior midfielder Hannah Spease, Bucknell junior attacker Allie Boyce, Holy Cross senior attacker Lauren Drillock and Loyola Maryland’s Osborne.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes 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 who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.