Gators Tabbed First in AAC Preseason Poll
via UF press release – Katie Callahan
Florida also grabs two major preseason awards and earns six All-Conference nods.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – For the fourth-straight season, the No. 7 Florida lacrosse team was tabbed to win the American Athletic Conference championship in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, as the league announced Tuesday.
The conference – in its fourth season – shakes out in the preseason poll as follows: Florida (5), Temple (1), Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, East Carolina and Old Dominion.
Florida received five of the six first-place votes and led the conference with six preseason All-AAC players, including two unanimous selections. No other school had more than four All-AAC nods in the poll.
In addition to the six All-Conference team selections, the Gators earned two Preseason Player of the Year awards.
Emma Wightman was tabbed as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, while Sarah Reznick was named Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Reznick and Wightman were joined on the Preseason All-AAC team by Becky Browndorf, Paisley Eagan, Emily Heller and Danielle Pavinelli.
Eagan (M) and Reznick (GK) were both unanimous selections to the team.
The Gators are coming off a stellar 2021 season where the team finished 18-3 overall on its way to claiming its 10th-straight regular season conference championship. Florida also made its way to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the sixth time in program history.
Entering the 2022 season, Florida holds an overall record of 186-48 (.795) – all under head coach Amanda O’Leary.
The Gators – picked No. 7 in the ILWomen/IWLCA Preseason Poll – gets the 2022 season started on Feb. 12 against Kennesaw State at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
2022 American Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
Team (First Place Votes) Points
1. Florida (5) 25
2. Temple (1) 19
Vanderbilt 19
4. Cincinnati 12
5. East Carolina 9
6. Old Dominion 6
Preseason Attacker of the Year
Gabby Fornia, Vanderbilt
Preseason Midfielder of the Year
Belle Mastropietro, Temple
Preseason Defender of the Year
Emma Wightman, Florida
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Sarah Reznick, Florida*
Preseason All-Conference Team
Dani Mlkvy, D, Cincinnati
Peyton Mottice, M, Cincinnati
Kylie Nause, A, Cincinnati *
Nicole Legar, M, East Carolina
Becky Browndorf, D, Florida
Paisley Eagan, M, Florida *
Emily Heller, M, Florida
Danielle Pavinelli, A, Florida
Sarah Reznick, G, Florida *
Emma Wightman, D, Florida
Lilly Siskind, A, Old Dominion *
Belle Mastropietro, M, Temple *
Mackenzie Roth, A, Temple *
Katie Shallow, D, Temple
Gabby Fornia, A, Vanderbilt *
Bri Gross, M, Vanderbilt *
Melissa Hawkins, D, Vanderbilt
Maddie Souza, A, Vanderbilt
*denotes unanimous selection
