via the JU website/press releases

Women’s Lacrosse Lock in Four Pre-Season Atlantic Sun Honors and Awards

ATLANTA – The Atlantic Sun conference announced its preseason awards on Wednesday morning. Jacksonville women’s lacrosse found itself picked first in the preseason ASUN coaches’ poll, with junior Kaila Stasulli and graduate student Lauren Ellis earning spots on the preseason All-ASUN team. 

Six-time ASUN defending champs, JU, finished up their 2023 season 12-8 overall with a 6-1 conference record. The Dolphins finished first in the conference in scoring defense, fourth nationally in shots per game, and were in the top 35 in points per game. Six Dolphins contributed to a sweep of the ASUN polls a season ago, including defender Hailey Blachly and goalie Paige Pagano, who will return for the green and white this year. 

Junior defender Kaila Stasulli found herself on the preseason All-ASUN team. Stasulli also claimed the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Today marks Stasulli’s second and third awards in the conference, as she was named to the ASUN All-freshman team in 2022. Last season, Stasulli made 19 appearances with 19 starts for the Dolphins. Her efforts led to 23 groundballs and caused 19 turnovers. Stasulli won 42 draw controls and had a season-high five draw controls in the ASUN Championship semi-finals against Coastal Carolina. Stasulli scored her lone goal of the 2023 season against Lindenwood. 

Midfielder Lauren Ellis captured her first Preseason Midfielder of the Year award as a Dolphin while simultaneously earning her spot on the Preseason All-ASUN Team. Ellis returns after a junior season that saw her named first team All-Conference by the ASUN, appear in 20 games, and finish with 19 starts. Ellis recorded 101 draw controls throughout the season, the fourth most in program history. The graduate student also recorded 15 draw controls against Queens on Apr. 22, the most in a single game in program history. The Virginia native scored 17 goals and recorded five assists in the 2023 season. 

The Dolphins will open the 2024 season at home against Michigan on Saturday, February 10 and ASUN action begins against Stetson on Saturday, March 23. 

For the full ASUN preseason announcement click here
 

2024 Preseason Coaches Poll 
1. Jacksonville (5), 47 
2. Liberty (2), 44 
3. Coastal Carolina, 33 
4. Queens, 24 
5. Kennesaw State, 19 
5. Lindenwood, 19 
7. Stetson, 10 
 
2024 Preseason All-ASUN Team 
GK – Taylor Gallarello, Liberty 
D – Jordan Gertz, Coastal Carolina 
D – Kaila Stasulli, Jacksonville* 
D – Kelsey Long, Lindenwood 
D – Mia Judd, Stetson^ 
M – Avery McIlwaine, Coastal Carolina* 
M – Lauren Ellis, Jacksonville 
M – Mackenzie Lehman, Liberty* 
M – Hannah Barth, Kennesaw State^ 
A – Cami Merkel, Liberty* 
A – Logann Eldredge, Lindenwood 
A – Kayleen Favreau, Queens^ 
A – Kaitlin Pani, Stetson 

* – denotes a unanimous selection 
^ – denotes an at-large selection 
** a tie in voting resulted in a 13-person team 

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Women’s Lacrosse Announces 2024 Schedule

By: Nieja Jordan

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University Women’s Lacrosse announced its 2024 spring schedule Tuesday. 

The defending Atlantic Sun Champion Dolphins will host four home games to start the season as part of 10 total contests at Rock Stadium, opening with Michigan on February 10.

“We are looking forward to another competitive schedule this spring,” said Head Coach Tara Singleton. “We face eight nationally recognized opponents in addition to our Atlantic Sun Conference slate, and we can’t wait to get after it!”  

In the non-conference, JU hosts the Wolverines, as well as Lehigh, Boston College, and Marquette all in the month of February. The Dolphins will hit the road to face off against Florida, a rematch of the NCAA tournament game last spring, to conclude the opening month. Other non-conference games include Cornell and Towson on the road. They also welcome Navy, Princeton, and Gardner-Webb for home games in March. 

The ASUN Conference opener at Stetson is set for Saturday, March 23. Home conference matchups include Kennesaw State, Lindenwood, and Coastal Carolina.  

For the third straight season, Jacksonville will host the ASUN Women’s Lacrosse Championship May 1-4 at Rock Stadium. 

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Rock Stadium Named Host Site of 2024 Atlantic Sun Women’s Lacrosse Championship

ATLANTA –  Rock Stadium has been selected as the host venue for the 2024 Atlantic Sun Conference Women’s Lacrosse Championship, as announced by the league on Wednesday. This season’s event, taking place on the Jacksonville University campus from May 2-4, 2024, will determine the league champion following the 12th year of ASUN competition.

This marks the eighth time that the Dolphins have hosted the conference tournament, and it’s their third consecutive season hosting. Jacksonville’s team aims to secure their seventh consecutive league title as they compete against Coastal Carolina, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Lindenwood, Queens, and Stetson during the 2024 season. Four squads will qualify for the ASUN postseason, with the winner earning an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship. The national tournament will be held from May 24 to 26, 2024, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

The Dolphins have clinched the ASUN Championship for six consecutive seasons, not including the 2020 campaign, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The schedule for Jacksonville women’s lacrosse will be released at a later date.