February 2, 2010

Lacrosse Magazine has put the finishing touches on its 2010 college preview issue, which mailed US Lacrosse members the first week of February. LM canvassed rival coaches to give us their anonymous take on the top 10 preseason ranked teams for Division I men's and women's lacrosse.

WD1: 10 Princeton | 9 UND | 8 UVA | 7 SU | 6 Georgetown | 5 Duke | 4 Penn | 3 UNC | 2 UMD | 1 Northwestern

Scouting Report: No. 4 Penn (Women)

Penn junior Giulia Giordano moves from midfield to attack in 2010.

HEAD COACH: Karin Brower Corbett
CONFERENCE: Ivy League
2009 RECORDS: 15-3, 7-0
2010 SCHEDULE: Click Here

WHO'S BACK

M Ali DeLuca (Sr.)
Last year’s points leader (40g, 15a) was the first Quaker to have a 40-goal season since the 1980s. DeLuca can also play defense when called upon.
M Emma Spiro (Sr.)
First-team All-American was second in goals scored (32g) in 2009 and shared Ivy League Player of the Year honors with Princeton’s Holly McGarvie. Led Quakers with 50 DCs. Brower Corbett: “Emma works really well with sophomore Erin Brennan on our draws.”
D Barb Seaman (Sr.)
Daughter of Towson men's coach Tony Seaman is a converted attacker/midfielder who offered her services to the defense when injuries necessitated it. She found a niche there.
A Giulia Giordano (Jr.)
Previously unknown commodity moves from midfield to attack after breakout performance, three goals in the Quakers' NCAA semifinal loss to Northwestern.
G Emily Szelest (Sr.)
Penn did not suffer the anticipated dropoff from Sarah Waxman last year, because Szelest was awesome, shining most brightly in the Quakers' near-upset of Northwestern in the NCAA semifinals. Led the nation in goals against average (6.11).

WHO'S NOT

A Becca Edwards
Quakers lose significant contributor with 26 goals and 14 assists in 2009.
M Kaitlyn Lombardo
Two-way middie was not afraid to do dirty work on defense, and was also threat to score across restraining line.

WHO'S NEW

M/A Kelly McCAllion
Gem of Penn's freshman class comes from a relatively obscure school (Notre Dame de Namur in Pennsylvania). Two-time first team All-American scored 255 goals and 123 assists in high school career and is one to watch in the Quakers' up-and-coming ranks.
M Maddie Poplawski
If you recognize the name, then you know your lacrosse history. The daughter of 1989 U.S. World Cup team member Chrissy Muller Poplawski comes from a strong Pennsylvania high school program (Springfield) and was twice named first team All-American. All-around middie scored 179 goals, 61 assists, 194 ground balls and 215 draw controls in prep career.

X FACTOR

Northwestern. Strange that one team could be another's X factor, no? But in Quaker land, the Purple Empire reigns like a tyrant -- if only because Penn has come so tantalizingly close to knocking the Wildcats off their perch. Of the Quakers' NCAA semifinal loss to Northwestern in '09, Brower Corbett said: “It’s really a driving force, no question. They want to win it and they don’t want to have that feeling again."

RIVAL COACHES' TAKES

"They graduated some people, but they have a tremendous class coming back."

"Erin Brennan, Rookie of the Year in the Ivy League, she really did a great job for them. She did nice work on the offensive end and became a new target."

"Emma Spiro is their leader. Ali DeLuca is just a potent weapon offensively and defensively. They’re going to be extremely strong."

"They’re going to be really good. To lose a heartbreaking game like they did in the semifinals last year, they’ve got tons of motivation to come back strong. They’re a very well coached team."

"Very disciplined. Strong and smart defensively. On offense, they execute well and they’re simple.
They have so much momentum after three final fours in a row."

"What Penn’s been able to do over the last three years has been really impressive. Their kids, they just play hard and they’re not afraid to take on the big challenges. They tend to rise in the big games."

"They’ve graduated some key kids, but they have a core of seniors who have had three years in the final four and I think they’ll be pretty tough again."