INDIANAPOLIS – The first two seasons of Great Midwest Athletic Conference women’s lacrosse have produced two different champions. Will this spring represent the league’s third champion in three years?
 
Led by preseason coaches poll favorite Lake Erie, seven programs will compete for the tournament trophy after Ursuline won the inaugural offering in 2016 and Alderson Broaddus celebrated at the end of 2017.
 
New to the scene is Lake Erie, Findlay and Walsh, this spring as first-year member institutions.
 
The regular season will help determine the host for this year’s Great Midwest Championship as the league continues to seek its first national tournament appearance.
 
Reigning champ Alderson Broaddus had won five straight to close out the season, including the conference tournament title in rain over Ursuline. The Battlers were 9-4 and return a handful of key contributors to last year’s championship run, but replacing offensive wizard Jasmine Barham with her 39 goals and 20 assists isn’t easy.
 
Lake Erie and Findlay each advanced into the six-team GLIAC Championship last season while Walsh was the first team out. Tiffin, coming to the Great Midwest in the spring of 2019, was the fourth seed in the tourney.
 
Fans will get to know the name Taylor Mathis from Lake Erie, a first-team All-GLIAC attacker who enters her senior season.
 
Mathis was third in the GLIAC with 59 goals and seventh in points. Anna Spin also ranked among the league’s best with 66 points, including 31 assists. The Storm burst out of the gates with a 7-0 start and are looking to sustain more a season-long run in their first year with the Great Midwest.
 
Ursuline’s Cydney Bartlett, a two-time Great Midwest Offensive Player of the Year, will dominate the conference record books when her senior season comes to a close. In just two years, Bartlett has amassed 104 goals and 35 assists, both career-leading numbers in the G-MAC’s short history.
 
All other award winners are back on the field this spring with co-G-MAC Freshmen of the Year Lydia Eichhorst (Davis & Elkins) and Natalie Nowicki (Ursuline) and G-MAC Defensive Player of the Year Emma Barnes (Ursuline).

 

ALDERSON BROADDUS BATTLERS (PHILIPPI, WV)

2017 Record and Standings	First Game
9-5 Overall, 3-1 G-MAC (t1st in G-MAC)	Sunday, Feb. 17 vs. West Virginia Wesleyan
Team Preview
Head coach Angelique Rudy returns for her second season as head coach for the Battlers…In her first season as head coach, the Battlers went on to win the G-MAC Championship title against Ursuline, 18-15…Despite the loss of emotional leader and senior scoring sensation Jasmine Barham, Allison Rogers is returning back for AB as one of the key pieces to the puzzle…Rogers had 15 goals last season and played in all 13 games…Junior attacker Krista Cooper is back for another season and has championship experience…Cooper had 34 goals which two were game winning goals…On the defensive side, Erin Gallagher is back…Playing in all 13 games last season, Gallagher had 17 caused turnovers and 25 ground balls for AB.
Players to Watch
#7 Allison Rogers (M, 5-6, Jr., Plymouth, MA/Plymouth South HS) #10 Brooke Thomas (A, 5-6, Sr., Auburn, NY/Auburn HS) #11 Erin Gallagher (D, 5-4, Sr., Kentwood, MI/Grand Rapids Central Catholic HS) #15 Krista Cooper (A, 5-8, Jr., Kingsville, MD/Fallston HS) #31 Fallyn Gonzales (GK, 5-3, Sr., Jacksonville, FL/Creekside HS)

 

DAVIS & ELKINS SENATORS (ELKINS, WV)

2017 Record and Standings	First Game
0-12 Overall, 0-4 G-MAC (3rd in G-MAC)	Sunday, Feb. 25 vs. Newberry
Team Preview
Tommy Kelly begins his first season at the helm of the Davis & Elkins Senators in 2018 after joining the program this winter…Kelly comes to D&E after serving as the primary assistant at Slippery Rock for five seasons, helping the squad to being recognized as a top 25 program…The Senators return 13 players from the 2017 squad, including Co-Freshman of the Year Lydia Eichhorst…Eichhorst started 2017 as a goalie and moved into the field, excelling in both spots…As a sophomore, Eichhorst will continue to share time in goalie and as an outfield player…Besides Eichhorst, the Senators return three more All-Conference Team selections in Gabby Fagan, Savannah Stanford and Morgan Graham…Fagan led the Senators in goals in 2017 with 18…Stanford returns for her junior season after four goals and two assists as a sophomore…She was also third on the team in caused turnovers…Graham added three goals and is the leading returner in caused turnovers after forcing 10 last season…The Senators return All-Freshman honoree Kathleen Shaw…Davis & Elkins have four newcomers in 2018, with all expected to contribute heavily.
Players to Watch
#32 Lydia Eichhorst (D/GK, 5-5, So., Manchester, MD/Manchester Valley HS) #9 Gabby Fagan (M/A, 5-6, Jr., Kernersville, NC/East Forsyth HS) #4 Savannah Stanford (M, 5-2, Jr., Belews Creek, NC/East Forsyth HS) #28 Morgan Graham (D/M, 5-5, Jr., Toronto, Canada/Malvern Collegiate) #13 Kathleen Shaw (M, 5-3, So., Newcastle, Canada/Holy Trinity Catholic)

 

FINDLAY OILERS (FINDLAY, OH)

2017 Record and Standings	First Game
7-11 Overall, 2-5 GLIAC (6th in GLIAC)	Sunday, March 4 vs. Davenport
Team Preview
Lauren Simko will return for her second season as the Oilers head coach in 2018...Simko led the Oilers to a 7-11 record last season...Junior Hannah Peebles will return to lead the team in 2018 after finishing second on the team last year with 48 points...Peebles recorded 24 goals and paced the squad with 24 assists during the 2017 campaign. Her 24 assists tied the school record for most assists in a season...Sophomore Ciara Burud is back after scoring 33 goals to go along with 12 assists, 44 ground balls, 34 draw controls and 27 caused turnovers while senior Olivia Sherman finished the 2017 season with 30 goals, 14 assists and 47 draw controls...Junior Brie Caruso, who scored 26 goals, and senior Allison Kelly, who had 19 scores, will also return to aid the offense...Defensively, senior Natalie Fury is back after picking up 46 ground balls...She also caused 40 turnovers for Findlay last year...Her 40 caused turnovers was the second-highest mark in school history.
Players to Watch
#32 Hannah Peebles (M, 5-5 Jr., Dexter, NY/General Brown HS) #29 Ciara Burud (M, 5-7, So., Red Hook, NY/Red Hook HS) #11 Olivia Sherman (M, 5-9 Sr., Okemos, MI/Okemos HS) #22 Natalie Fury (D, 5-6, Sr., Glenolden, PA/Interboro HS) #12 Brie Caruso (A, 5-8, Jr., Salisbury, MD/Wicomico HS)

 

LAKE ERIE STORM (PAINESVILLE, OH)

2017 Record and Standings	First Game
10-5 Overall, 3-4 GLIAC (5th in GLIAC)	Sunday, March 4 vs. Slippery Rock
Team Preview
The Lake Erie College women's lacrosse program enters 2018 after a historic 2017 season...In 2017, the Storm started 8-0, which is the best start to a season in program history...The Storm finished the season with an overall record of 10-5, and went 3-4 in conference play...Head Coach Mallory Ferrandiz enters her fourth season with the Storm, and she has the Storm primed for an exciting 2018 season...Coach Ferrandiz said, "We are looking forward to the 2018 season in our new conference and playing with our new rules that will increase the speed of the game. We have a strong group of returning upperclassmen who will help guide our freshman class"...The Storm returns eight starters, three of which were named to the GLIAC All-Conference team last season...Taylor Mathis was named third team All-Region and first team All-GLIAC as she led the Lake Erie with 59 goals, and had 63 points...Anastasia Crawford was named second team All-GLIAC as she was second on the team in goals scored with 38...Anna Spin was also named second team All-GLIAC as she led the Storm in points and assists with 66 and 31 respectively.
Players to Watch
#25 Taylor Mathis (A/M, Sr., Corning, NY/Corning HS) #12 Anna Spin (A/M, Jr., Auburn, NY/Auburn HS) #20 Chloe Nottingham (D, So., New Westminster, BC/New Westminster Secondary) #2 Anastasia Crawford (M, Sr., Corning, NY/Corning Painted Post East HS)

 

OHIO VALLEY FIGHTING SCOTS (VIENNA, WV)

2017 Record and Standings	First Game
0-3 Overall, 0-0 G-MAC	Wednesday, Feb. 28 vs. District of Columbia
Team Preview
The Ohio Valley women's lacrosse team will look toward the offensive side for the strength and leadership this season...Co-captains sophomores midfielder Emily Prentice and attack Kayla Stewart, will lead the Fighting Scots...Adding to the attack up front will be sophomore attacker Victoria Cross and sophomore attack Kelle Washington...Head Coach Max Ruhl has been trying to make sure that the second year team focuses on constructive communication both on and off the field to make this year successful.
Players to Watch
#6 Emily Prentice (M, 5-10, So., Melbourne, Australia/Maribrynong HS) #11 Kayla Stewart (A, 6-1, So., Lusby, MD/Patuxent HS) #12 Victoria Cross (M, 5-6, So., Powder Springs, GA/McEachern HS) #22 Kelle Washington (A, 5-2, So., Deer Park, NY/Deer Park HS)

 

URSULINE ARROWS (PEPPER PIKE, OH)

2017 Record and Standings	First Game
8-8 Overall, 3-1 G-MAC (t1st in G-MAC)	Saturday, March 3 vs. Wilmington
Team Preview
Coming off a 2016 G-MAC Regular Season & Tournament championship and being the runner up in the tournament last season, the Arrows will look for another run at the title and successful regular season...The key returner for the Arrows will be Senior Cydney Bartlett, who led the team in goals (57), assists (16) and points (73). Bartlett is a two-time Great Midwest Player of the Year winner and will be a big factor in the Ursuline offensive attack in 2018...Emma Barnes, won the G-MAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and returns this season to help anchor a rebuilt Ursuline defense...Sophomore Natalie Nowicki is another Arrow that head coach Ed Karasek will look to for leadership and an impactful season...She was second in points, assists and goals in 16 games...Nowicki was the Co-Freshman of the Year last season in the G-MAC and helped balance the Arrows attack.
Players to Watch
#32 Cydney Bartlett (M, 5-6, Sr., Portland, OR/Clackamas HS) #19 Natalie Nowicki (M, 5-3, So., Plymouth, MI/Plymouth HS) #24 Abigail Neeley (M, 5-4, Jr., Lansing, MI/Waverly HS) #88 Emma Barnes (D, 5-7, Jr., Osceola, IN/Penn HS)

 

WALSH CAVALIERS (NORTH CANTON, OH)

2017 Record and Standings	First Game
8-8 Overall, 1-6 GLIAC (7th in GLIAC)	Saturday, March 3 vs. Savannah College of Art & Design
Team Preview
The Walsh women’s lacrosse team is geared up for its first season of G-MAC competition after its best season in program history last year...The Cavaliers finished 8-8 and picked up wins against three of five teams now in the conference...The majority of that team returns with only three seniors lost to graduation, but two of those three led the team in scoring with a combined 74 goals scored...However, plenty of other offensive weapons return...Sarah McCormick was third on the team last season with 29 goals and 43 points...She also tied for second with 14 assists...Emma Armour, Jenny Spragg, and Lane Brunkala also return after tallying at least 20 goals a season ago...Defensively, Walsh loses just one defender and brings back both goalies including starter Mikaela Faus...The junior keeper made 139 saves a year ago and was the goalie of decision in all 16 games.
Players to Watch
#7 Sarah McCormick (M, 5-10, Sr., Canton, OH/Jackson HS) #00 Mikaela Faus (GK, 5-3, Jr., Medina, OH/Medina HS) #24 Jenny Spragg (A, 5-8, Jr., Westerville, OH/Olentangy Orange HS) #18 Emma Armour (M, 5-7, Sr., Charlotte, NC/Charlotte Catholic HS) #10 Lane Brunkala (A, 5-2, Sr., Mentor, OH/Mentor HS)