Skip Ad

Women's Lacrosse

Generals Top ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University has won every ODAC women's lacrosse title since 2010. The Generals open the season as the favorite of the coaches to lift a 15th straight league trophy as the headliners of the 2025 ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll.

The top six teams in the annual survey are unchanged from a season ago, beginning with Washington and Lee at the top after collecting a maximum 144 points powered by 12 first place votes. Roanoke College, ODAC runner-up for the past four seasons, received the remaining top nod on the way to 131 markers. Shenandoah University sits third at 124 tallies.

Randolph-Macon College and University of Lynchburg each cracked the century mark with the Yellow Jackets garnering 111 points and the Hornets sporting 100. Bridgewater College is sixth with 89 markers.

In the sections below, we look back to the 2024 season to set the tone for this year and then dive into some features of ODAC women's lacrosse for the upcoming 2025 campaign.

2025 ODAC WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
(#) denotes first place votes received

1. Washington and Lee University (12)      144 pts.
2. Roanoke College (1)131 pts.
3. Shenandoah University124 pts.
4. Randolph-Macon College111 pts.
5. University of Lynchburg100 pts.
6. Bridgewater College89 pts.
7. Virginia Wesleyan University73 pts.
8. Ferrum College64 pts.
9. Averett University55 pts.
10. Guilford College50 pts.
11. Eastern Mennonite University37 pts.
12. Randolph College20 pts.
13. Sweet Briar College16 pts.
    • One more ODAC school finished than in 2023 finished with a .500 or better winning percentage in 2024 led by WLU's 18-4 (.818) showing; Roanoke (17-5, .773), Shenandoah (15-5, .750), Randolph-Macon (14-6, .700), Ferrum (10-7, .588), Lynchburg (10-8, .556), and Bridgewater (9-9, .500) complete that list.
    • Washington and Lee and Roanoke met for the fourth straight season for the ODAC title
      • both received byes thru the first round and quarterfinals as the #1 and #2 seeds, respectively
      • WLU posted a 19-1 win over fifth-seeded Randolph-Macon in the semifinals
      • RC topped third-seeded Shenandoah, 14-3, in the semifinals
    • The title game was a very different story compared to the semifinals with just one goal separating WLU and RC by the final horn
      • the Generals won the first quarter, 5-3, powered by a five-goal run after RC went ahead 1-0
      • both teams scored three times in the second frame to send WLU into the break leading 8-6
      • the Maroons won the third period, 3-2, cutting WLU's lead in half at 10-9 entering the final stanza
      • scoring was at a premium with each team netting just once for an 11-10 triumph for WLU
    • The Generals have won 14 straight championships and 24 overall
    • ODAC women's lacrosse made history with regards to the Division III tournament in a few different ways in 2024
      • three teams entered the field for the first time in conference history with automatic qualifier Washington and Lee joined by Roanoke and Shenandoah as at-large selection
      • while the berths for WLU and RC marked their 23rd and 12th appearances, respectively, SU's selection mark the first time in program history on the national stage for the Hornets
      • Shenandoah added more history with the program's first NCAA tournament victory
    • While WLU earned a bye thru the first round and hosting responsibilities in the first and second rounds, RC and SU began their journeys in the first round on the road
    • Shenandoah
      • Round 1 at Ithaca College: defeated SUNY Canton, 17-9, for the program's first NCAA Tournament win
      • Round 2 at Ithaca College: lost to host Bombers, 18-6
    • Roanoke
      • Round 1 at Capital University: defeated Hope College, 24-6
      • Round 2 at Capital University: defeated the host Comets, 20-11
      • Round 3 at Franklin & Marshall College: lost to the host Diplomats, 14-11
    • Washington and Lee hosted first and second round action
      • Round 1: bye
      • Round 2: defeated Rhodes College, 17-7
      • Round 3 at Salisbury University: defeated Christopher Newport, 12-10
      • Quarterfinals at Salisbury University: lost to the host Sea Gulls, 12-8
    • Roanoke College, the ODAC, and City of Salem played host to the national semifinals and championship for the eighth time; Middlebury College won its third straight title with a 16-5 win over Salisbury
    • IWLCA PRESEASON POLL: the IWLCA Did not publish a preseason poll in 2025; but it did release its first in-season coaches survey earlier today; Washington and Lee opens the season sixth in Division III, while Roanoke sits 12th overall; Shenandoah is one of six additional teams receiving votes towards the top-25
    • USA LACROSSE MAGAZINE TOP-20: both Washington and Lee and Roanoke feature in the preseason poll published by USA Lacrosse Magazine; they are both one spot higher than in the IWLCA poll with WLU fifth and RC 11th
    • USA LACROSSE MAGAZINE PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: USA Lacrosse announced its annual Preseason All-Americans on February 6; four ODAC players earned recognition
      • 3rd Team: Grace Koutouzis (A), RC
      • Honorable Mention: Sophie Edwards (A), WLU; Cat Caples (M), WLU; Libby Ford (D), WLU

  • There will be plenty of opportunity to new players to make names for themselves in 2025 with just 16-of-38 All-ODAC honorees returning to league rosters from 2024 campaign. That includes eight members each of the All-ODAC First and Second Teams.

    Shenandoah leads the way with five of their eight all-conference stars back in Winchester, while Randolph-Macon features four of its six standouts from a year ago. On the other side of the code, there is much to be determined in Lexington and Salem with just 1-of-8 all-conference honorees returning to WLU and 2-of-8 all-league headliners back for Roanoke. Still, Maroons head coach Erica Brown, the reigning ODAC Coach of the Year, does welcome back ODAC Rookie of the Year midfielder Maddie McDonald.

    • All-ODAC First Team Returners (8)
      • Evie McNeally (A) - RMC
      • Grace Koutouzis (A) - RC
      • Ainsley Buckner (A) - SU
      • Taylor Mittelstadter (M) - RMC
      • Meredith Bornholdt (D) - LYN
      • Juliana Fohner (D) - SU
      • Talia Maria (D) - SU
      • Madison Perry (GK) - SU
    • All-ODAC Second Team Returners (8)
      • Sydney Dumas (A) - LYN
      • Neely Morris (A) - LYN
      • Lilly Fowler (A) - RMC
      • Emma Moxham (M) - RMC
      • Sydney Harrison (M) - RC
      • Cat Caples (M) - WLU
      • Makaila Veney (D) - FC
      • Caitlyn Lepkowski (D) - SU

  • The athletes listed below represent the top-three returning statistical leaders for major statistical categories from the 2024 season (min. 500 minutes for GK save pct. and goals against average).

     PLAYER #1PLAYER #2PLAYER #3
    Points108Grace Koutouzis, RC89Ainsley Buckner, SU74Evie McNeally, RMC
    Goals57Ainsley Buckner, SU56Evie McNeally, RMC53Grace Koutouzis, RC
    Assists55Grace Koutouzis, RC35Maggie Hartnett, GC32Ainsley Buckner, SU
    Draw Controls107Ainsley Buckner, SU73Maddie McDonald, RC66Emma Moxham, RMC
    Ground Balls56Makaila Veney, FC53Maggie Hartnett, GC50Meredith Bornholdt, LYN
    Caused Turnovers39Makaila Veney, FC38Maggie Hartnett, GC34Shaunice Rone, VWU
    GK Minutes932:30Madison Perry, SU780:00Cristal Narciso, EMU619:18Rachael Robinson, BC
    GK Saves128Madison Perry, SU113Cristal Narciso, EMU92Rachael Robinson, BC
    Save Pct..465Madison Perry, SU.402Rachael Robinson, BC.342Cristal Narciso, EMU
    GAA9.46Madison Perry, SU13.27Rachael Robinson, BC16.69Cristal Narciso, EMU

  • Below are the win-loss records for each coach entering the 2025 spring campaign.

    COACHSCHOOLSEASON (AT SCHOOL)OVERALL (PCT.)AT SCHOOL (PCT.)
    Hannah Mae AyersAverett1st (1st)0-0 (.000)0-0 (.000)
    Ashley HughesBridgewater15th (4th)96-118 (.449)24-30 (.444)
    Mikaela BrooksEastern Mennonite3rd (3rd)6-20 (.231)6-20 (.231)
    Carly CoyleFerrum1st (1st)0-0 (.000)0-0 (.000)
    Taylor ClineGuilford5th (1st)45-24 (.652)45-24 (.652)
    McKenzie RaffertyLynchburg7th (2nd)43-39 (.524)10-8 (.556)
    Bruce ReidRandolph22nd (1st)182-154 (.542)0-0 (.000)
    MK GeratowskiRandolph-Macon12th (12th)111-76 (.594)111-76 (.594)
    Erica BrownRoanoke15th (3rd)141-106 (.571)33-9 (.786)
    Lindsey LutzShenandoah17th (17th)158-110 (.590)158-110 (.590)
    Bucky MorrisSweet Briar3rd (3rd)3-11 (.214)3-11 (.214)
    Madison HeckVirginia Wesleyan2nd (2nd)4-12 (.250)4-12 (.250)
    Maddie ColemanWashington and Lee3rd (3rd)37-6 (.860)37-6 (.860)
    • The ODAC will feature 13 competing squads this season competing in an eight-game unbalanced conference schedule in addition to their non-conference slates.
    • The first regular season game non-conference actually features a pair of league teams with Guilford hosting Lynchburg on February 11; three additional programs jump into action the weekend of February 15-16
    • The first conference games are Tuesday and Wednesday, February 18-19 with WLU hosting GC and Lynchburg hosting Virginia Wesleyan
    • The ODAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament will feature an eight-team bracket competed over four rounds in the second season of its new format.
      • First Round: Saturday, April 26 at #5-6 Seeds
      • Quarterfinals: Tuesday, April 29 at #3-4 Seeds
      • Semifinals: Friday, May 2 at #1-2 Seeds
      • Championship: Sunday, May 4 at the Highest Remaining Seed
    • For the fifth straight year and ninth time overall, the Division III semifinals and championship will be hosted by Roanoke, the ODAC, and City of Salem at RC's Kerr Stadium; the group will also host the Division II final four as part of a four-day women's lacrosse showcase