Women's Lacrosse Cited As Team To Beat In ECC Preseason Poll; Olen and Donaldson Receive Top Honors
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (Feb. 12, 2010) – The C.W. Post women's lacrosse team received eight first-place votes as the top team in the East Coast Conference preseason poll. In addition, junior attacker Ashley Olen (East Islip, N.Y.) was named Offensive Player of the Year and junior defender Chelsea Donaldson (Bay Shore, N.Y.) was voted Defensive Player of the Year by the conference coaches.
With eight first place votes and 80 total points, C.W. Post fills the top spot on the 2011 poll. In 2010, the Pioneers made their fifth straight appearance in the Division II Final Four, finishing with a 16-2 recordd which earned C.W. Post the No. 2 spot in the final IWLCA National Poll, losing in the semi-finals to eventual National Champion Adelphi. Dowling College was second in the poll with one first-place votes, followed by Molloy College and Seton Hill. Rounding out the poll is Mercy, followed by Queens, Lake Erie, St. Thomas Aquinas, and first year program Bridgeport.
The 2011 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year has been awarded to C.W. Post's Ashley Olen. The junior was selected to the 2010 IWLCA All-America Second Team and the womenslacrosse.com All-America First Team. The two-time ECC All- Conference pick led the Pioneers with 61 goals on the season in 2010, while also picking up three assists to finish with 64 points. She also led the team with 49 draw controls.
Junior Chelsea Donaldson of C.W. Post has been tabbed the 2011 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Among the accolades Donaldson amassed in 2010 included being named to the IWLCA All-America Second Team as well as being selected to the ECC All-Conference First Team. She totaled 24 groundballs, 12 draw controls and 6 caused turnovers as well as contributing two goals and one assist during the 2010 season.
2011 East Coast Conference Pre-Season Poll
School Points
1. C.W. Post (8) 80
2. Dowling (1) 69
3. Molloy 66
4. Seton Hill 54
5. Mercy 40
6. Queens 34
7. Lake Erie 31
8. St. Thomas Aquinas 22
9. Bridgeport 9