COLLEGE PREVIEW 2013 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN TOP 20
2012 RECORD: 19-3 (5-0 ALC) COACH: MANDEE O’LEARY (4TH YEAR)
FLORIDA GATORS 1
The fi rst day the Class of 2013 entered Dizney Stadium stands out to Florida coach Mandee O’Leary. “I remember them walking in as freshmen, the fi rst time we opened the stadium, and watching their eyes light up,” she said.
There have been a lot of fi rsts for Florida’s seniors, one of the most decorated recruiting classes in women’s lacrosse history. First practice. (“It’s hard to remember sticking 12 freshmen on the fi eld at one time,” O’Leary said). First game. First NCAA tournament berth in 2011. In 2012, there were still more fi rsts. The Gators won their
fi rst ALC championship, made their fi rst fi nal four and produced their fi rst Tewaaraton Award fi nalist, midfi elder Brittany Dashiell. But suddenly, everything is about lasts. Last fall ball game, last practice, last team holiday party. Last chance to win an NCAA title. “We’ve been building up and up and up,” Dashiell said. While the Gators reached new heights in 2012 — ascending to No. 1 in the nation and beating vaunted Northwestern twice — it’s impossible to think about the rise without remembering the horrible crash at the end. Florida led Syracuse by seven goals in the second half of the NCAA semifi nal before allowing the Orange to mount the second-biggest comeback in NCAA tournament history and force overtime. Then in overtime, a would-be game-
Feb 9 at North Carolina Feb 13 at Jacksonville Feb 17 at High Point Feb 22 UC Davis Feb 24 Albany Mar 2 Syracuse* Mar 5 Loyola Mar 9 at Dartmouth Mar 12 Lehigh Mar 16 at Oregon Mar 19 Stetson Mar 23 Ohio State Mar 30 at Penn State Apr 6 Johns Hopkins Apr 14 at Vanderbilt Apr 20 Northwestern * at Sun Life Stadium, Miami
winner by midfi elder Gabi Weigand was disallowed due to an illegal stick. Syracuse won 14-13 in double OT. “That’s our driving force every day,” Dashiell said.
Syracuse and Florida will meet again March 2 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami at the second-annual Orange Bowl Classic. Dashiell’s growth as a player, including a recent run with Team USA, mirrors that of her team. Florida turned her loose on offense and defense through the midfi eld. “We asked her to do it all, and she delivered,” O’Leary said. Florida’s defense has been the biggest surprise. Senior goalie Mikey Meagher is not a technically perfect goalie, but she makes saves when it counts — including 10 in the fi rst half to keep Syracuse within reach in the semifi nals. Her steadiness in the cage allows All-Americans Sam Farrell and Jamie Reeg to take chances. Meagher, Farrell and Reeg were among the wide-eyed freshmen who walked into Dizney Stadium four years ago. They hope to raise an NCAA title trophy at Villanova this spring. If thinking about Syracuse gets them there,
so be it. — Clare Lochary 60 LACROSSE MAGAZINE February 2013 >> Mikey Meagher Emily Dohony
RIVAL COACHES SAY
“Count on increased leadership and confi dence from the top down. This may be the fi rst year people stop looking at Florida like the new kids on the block… Brittany Dashiell, she’s their X-factor… The Dream Team freshmen are fi nally seniors and are looking to accomplish what Northwestern did in 2005.”
TOP RETURNER M Brittany Dashiell (Sr.) Florida’s fi rst Tewaaraton
Award fi nalist is a threat at both ends of the fi eld. Dashiell tied for fi rst on the team in points (69) and ranked second for caused turnovers (17).
X-FACTOR M Nora Barry (So.) The ALC Rookie of the
Year had the best shooting percentage (63.5) on the team, scoring 40 goals on just 63 shots and setting a single-season program record for ground balls (48). “She plays at both ends of the fi eld, and we rely on her for transitions. She makes really good decisions. She’s defi nitely somebody we’re really excited to have back,” O’Leary said.
With quick feet and sharp instincts, Sam Farrell has grown into one of the nation’s top defenders. Her high school coach predicted it.
PROJECTED STARTERS
A Ashley Bruns (Sr.)* G: 44 A: 24
A Gabi Weigand (Sr.) * G: 47 A: 15
A Caroline Chesterman (Sr.) G: 23 A: 14
M Kitty Cullen (Sr.)* G: 45 A: 24
M Brittany Dashiell (Sr.) * G: 44 A: 25
M Shannon Gilroy (So.) * G: 44 DC: 83
M Nora Barry (So.)* G: 40 DC: 49
D: Jamie Reeg (Sr.)* DC: 26 GB: 19
D Kayla Stolins (Sr.) * DC: 35 CT: 17
D Sam Farrell (Sr.) * GB: 41 CT: 17
D Emily Dohony (Sr.) * GB: 37 CT: 19
G Mikey Meagher (Sr.)* GAA: 7.03 SV%: 53.7 * returning starters
TELLING NUMBER 6.55
In three seasons, the ‘D’ has improved from 21st to eighth to first. All starters return in 2013. A Publication of US Lacrosse
Florida’s average scoring defense, the NCAA’s best.
©JOHN STROHSACKER (MM/ED, BD); ©LEE WEISSMAN (SF)
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