March 7, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC - The Intercollegiate Women?s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) has released its 2005 Division I Preseason Top 20 Poll with the Georgetown University women's lacrosse team ranked fifth in the nation. The Hoyas picked up 230 points to secure the fifth spot.

The 2004 NCAA Division I National Champions, Virginia, tops the list with 299 points and 14 first-place votes. Princeton holds down second place with 286 points and one first place vote, while Northwestern is third (260 points) and Duke fourth (256).

The 2005 season will be the first with Ricky Fried at the helm of the Hoyas. Fried, who served as GU's associate head coach in 2004 and assistant coach in 2003, was named head coach in May after the resignation of Kim Simons. Simons enjoyed nine highly successful seasons on the Hilltop, including seven consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, three appearances, in five years, to the Final Four, and four-straight BIG EAST Championship titles.

The Hoyas open the 2005 season on Wednesday, March 2, when they host Mount St. Mary's at 3:30 p.m. on North Kehoe Field.

IWLCA 2005 Preseason Poll

1. Virginia (14), 299 points
2. Princeton (1), 286
3. Northwestern, 260
4. Duke, 256
5. GEORGETOWN,230
6. Johns Hopkins, 213
7. Maryland, 210
8. UNC, 206
9. Loyola, 178
10. Dartmouth, 149
11.Hofstra, 120
12.Syracuse, 112
13.James Madison, 104
14.New Hampshire, 79
15.Boston University, 72
Vanderbilt, 72
17.Penn State, 65
18.Towson, 58
19.Delaware, 43
20.Notre Dame, 33

Also receiving votes: William & Mary 31, George Mason 23, Yale 21, Pennsylvania 6.