via UF press release   GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida lacrosse team was tabbed to win the American Athletic Conference championship in the 2020 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, as the league announced on Thursday. The league – in its second season – shakes out in the preseason poll as follows: Florida (5), Cincinnati (1), Vanderbilt, Temple, UConn and ECU. Florida received five of the six first-place votes and led the conference with five preseason All-AAC players, including three unanimous selections. No other school had more than three All-AAC nods in the poll. In addition to the five All-Conference team selections, the Gators earned three major Preseason Player of the Year awards. Grace Haus was named Preseason Attacker of the Year, while Cara Trombetta was the unanimous selection for Preseason Defender of the Year. Shannon Kavanagh rounds out the major award winners, being named the unanimous Preseason Midfielder of the Year. Haus, Kavanagh and Trombetta were joined on the Preseason All-AAC team by Kaitlyn Dabkowski and Brianna Harris. Haus (A), Kavanagh (M) and Trombetta (D) were all unanimous selections. The Gators are coming off a season in 2019 where they went undefeated in AAC play, outscoring opponents by 56 goals in five games. The squad won the inaugural AAC regular season championship and tournament championship. That was Florida’s ninth-straight regular season championship and sixth-straight tournament championship. Entering the 2020 season, Florida holds an overall record of 162-43 (.790) – all under head coach Amanda O’Leary. The Gators kick off the year with a matchup against Colorado on Feb. 8 at 12 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. 2020 American Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll Team (First Place Votes)    Points 1. Florida (5)                                        25 2. Cincinnati (1)                                    19 3. Vanderbilt                                         18 4. Temple                                              14 5. UConn                                               9 6. ECU                                                   5 Preseason Attacker of the Year Grace Haus, Jr., Florida Preseason Defender of the Year Cara Trombetta, So., Florida* Preseason Midfielder of the Year Shannon Kavanagh, Jr., Florida* Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year Maryn Lowell, Sr., GK, Temple Preseason All-Conference Team Maryn Lowell, Sr., GK, Temple Monica Borzillo, Sr., A, Cincinnati Morgan Dukes, Jr., D, Cincinnati* Kylie Nause, So., M, Cincinnati Sydney Watson, Jr., M, UConn* Ally Stanton, Jr., A, ECU Kaitlyn Dabkowski, Jr., D, Florida Brianna Harris, R-Jr., M, Florida Grace Haus, Jr., A, Florida* Shannon Kavanagh, Jr., M, Florida* Cara Trombetta, Sr., D, Florida* Maddie Gebert, Sr., A, Temple* Kara Nakrasius, Sr., D, Temple* Bridget Whitaker, Jr., M, Temple* Gabby Fornia, Jr., A, Vanderbilt* Emily Mathewson, Sr., M, Vanderbilt* *denotes unanimous selection Follow the Gators: #FLax Twitter Instagram Facebook