Feb. 11, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Commodores received a No. 11 national ranking when the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association released its preseason poll on Tuesday. Head Coach Cathy Swezey’s squad features 11 returning starters and a group of seven seniors.

For the 2009 campaign, Vanderbilt earned its third consecutive NCAA Tournament berth while finishing with a 10-7 overall record.

Among those starters returning are seniors Sarah Downing and Alex Mundy, who each received All-America and All-Conference honors in 2009. Downing set single-season school records in goals scored (55) and points (81), leading a high-powered offensive attack. On the other end of the field, Mundy was a defensive force for the Commodores as she led the team with 43 ground balls as well as recording 13 draw controls and 23 caused turnovers.

The IWLCA Top 20 Poll features three other teams from the American Lacrosse Conference, including Northwestern (No. 1), Ohio State (No. 16), and Penn State (No. 18). The Wildcats, who will be gunning for their sixth straight national championship, received all 20 first place votes.

For the 2010 season, the Commodores will face eight teams from the IWLCA Top 20.

The ‘Dores will open their season this Sunday, playing host to No. 5 Duke at the Vanderbilt Lacrosse Complex. The game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. CT.

IWLCA Division I Preseason Poll
1. Northwestern (20)
2. Maryland
3. Penn
4. North Carolina
5. Duke
6. Syracuse
7. Georgetown
8. Notre Dame
9. Princeton
10. Virginia
11. Vanderbilt
12. Boston University
13. Stanford
14. Loyola
15. Dartmouth
16. Ohio State
17. Towson
18. Penn State
19. Cornell
20. William & Mary

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