Season Previews

Josie Ferri, Haverford

Bryn Mawr
Returning 10 players that ran the table with a 6-0 record in non-league action a year ago, the Bryn Mawr College lacrosse team will look to build on the success from last year's squad. Welcoming five new faces to the sideline, the Owls will rely on the experience of their returners and the contributions of the newcomers to keep the program moving forward.

Franklin & Marshall
Expectations are high this season for the women's lacrosse team – they always are.  The Diplomats won their fifth-straight Centennial Conference (CC) title last season and return all 12 starters. F&M finished last year with a 19-3 record, including a perfect 9-0 mark in conference action, and look to become the first school to ever win six CC titles. The Diplomats advanced to their 14th NCAA Tournament and have played in the final weekend in four out of the last five seasons and they expect to be there again this year.

Gettysburg
It hasn't been easy to be the defending national champion in NCAA Division III, but the Gettysburg College women's lacrosse team is prepared to make a stand and defend its first national crown this spring. Unlike Division I where Northwestern University has won six of the last seven titles and Division II where Adelphi University has taken four straight, Division III women's lacrosse has been a bit more indefinite. A different champion has reigned every year since The College of New Jersey won back-to-back championships in 2005 and 2006. Gettysburg, which captured the school's first NCAA team title of any kind last spring, will be put to the test early and often by the best the division has to offer. Ranked No. 1 in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Preseason Poll, the Bullets will face seven other teams also ranked in the top 20 this spring.

Haverford
After rolling into the Centennial Conference tournament for the second consecutive year in 2011, the Haverford College women's lacrosse team will be looking to stretch that streak to three in 2012. First-year head coach Lauren Wray returns an experienced squad that finished in a tie for third place within the league standings last spring and will rely, partly, on a pair of decorated seniors in their last go-round with the Fords.

McDaniel
The 2011 McDaniel women's lacrosse season was – by most definitions – a year of rebuilding. However, as has been said more than once before, the best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores. With a freshman keeper in net about 85 percent of the time last year, head coach Muffie Bliss knows that the experienced gain by Aimee Semler (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) and Kate Goldstein (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional) will only help the squad in 2012.

Muhlenberg
During the second week of Muhlenberg women's lacrosse practice, mummies could be seen running around Frank Marino Field at Scotty Wood Stadium. It had nothing to do with any horror movies or interactive history exhibit. Rather, the toilet-paper wrapped players were representing Egypt in the team's version of the Olympics. Fittingly, Greece ended up winning the contest and claiming the coveted torch. But more importantly, the Olympics helped create an atmosphere of competition and camaraderie that the team hopes will carry it to the playoffs for the third time in the past five seasons.

Swarthmore
Coming off its most successful season in recent years, the Swarthmore College women's lacrosse team is poised for even bigger and better things in 2012. With the return of two All-Centennial performers from a year ago and a strong complement of offensive and defensive players, the Garnet's goal is to earn a place in the Centennial Conference playoffs for the first time in since 2007. Leading the attack way for Swat in 2012 will be junior phenom Annalise Penikis. In her first season with the Garnet, Penikis '13 recorded one of the best all-around individual seasons in program history, leading the team and the Centennial Conference in goals (63), assists (37), and points (100).

Washington College
With 21 of 22 players, including 11 of 12 starters, returning from last year's breakthrough season, there is more than enough reason for optimism for the 2012 Washington College women's lacrosse team.  After finishing 2011 with their best record since 2003 at 11-6 and reaching the Centennial Conference Tournament for the first time since that same year, the Shorewomen are poised to continue their rise this season.