CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Boston College has been selected as the preseason favorite in the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Poll, released Tuesday by the league office. Coming off its first ACC championship, the Eagles finished with 98 total points in voting by the ACC’s 10 head coaches.
The Eagles were the runaway favorites, earning first-place votes from eight of the 10 coaches. Syracuse, who joined BC in the NCAA’s 2023 Championship Weekend, finished second in the voting with 83 points and one first-place vote. North Carolina was third with 80 points, just ahead of Notre Dame with 78 points and one first-place vote. Virginia (55), Clemson (46), Duke (43), Virginia Tech (35), Louisville (20) and Pitt (12) rounded out the poll.
The Preseason All-ACC Team features 18 student-athletes, including three returning Inside Lacrosse First-Team All-Americans: Belle Smith and Sydney Scales (Boston College) and Delaney Sweitzer (Syracuse). Twelve of the 18 Preseason All-ACC selections earned either first, second or third team honors or honorable mention accolades on Inside Lacrosse’s 2023 All-America Team.
Boston College leads all schools with six student-athletes on the Preseason All-ACC Team, while Syracuse has four. In all, six schools are represented.
Seven ACC women’s lacrosse teams are ranked in the Preseason Inside Lacrosse Women/IWLCA poll, including four in the top 10, with Boston College at No. 2, North Carolina at No. 3, Syracuse at No. 5 and Notre Dame at No. 7. Virginia is No. 16 in the preseason poll, while Clemson is No. 23 and Duke is No. 24. The ACC has the most teams in the poll among all conferences.
The 2024 women’s lacrosse season begins this weekend with all 10 programs in action. The featured national matchup of the opening weekend comes at 1 p.m. Sunday as No. 5 Syracuse opens its season on the road against the reigning national champion, No. 1 Northwestern. In another matchup of top-10 teams, No. 3 North Carolina visits No. 6 James Madison at noon Sunday.
2024 ACC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Boston College (8), 98
2. Syracuse (1), 83
3. North Carolina, 80
4. Notre Dame (1), 78
5. Virginia, 55
6. Clemson, 46
7. Duke, 43
8. Virginia Tech, 35
9. Louisville, 20
10. Pitt, 12
First-place votes in parentheses
2024 Preseason All-ACC Team
Attack
Rachel Clark, Jr., Boston College
Jackie Wolak, Gr., Notre Dame
Emma Ward, Sr., Syracuse
Midfield
Belle Smith, Sr., Boston College
Cassidy Weeks, Gr., Boston College
Kasey Choma, Gr., Notre Dame
Defense
Sydney Scales, Sr., Boston College
Emily Nalls, Gr., North Carolina
Katie Goodale, Sr., Syracuse
Goalie
Delaney Sweitzer, Gr., Syracuse
At-Large
Mckenna Davis, Jr., A, Boston College
Shea Dolce, So., GK, Boston College
Nicole Perroni, Gr., M, Louisville
Olivia Dirks, Gr., M, North Carolina
Marissa White, So., A, North Carolina
Madison Ahern, Gr., A, Notre Dame
Emma Tyrrell, Gr., A, Syracuse
Morgan Schwab, Sr., A, Virginia