Women's Lacrosse 2/7/2023 2:05:00 PM

Colonials Tabbed Preseason Favorite in 2023

RMU earns four first-place votes in preseason poll

Moon Township, Pa. – According to a poll of Mid-American conference (MAC) head coaches, the RMU women's lacrosse team has been picked as the preseason favorite in 2023. The poll was announced Tuesday by the MAC.

The Colonials earned four first-place votes and a total of 46 points while also earning six votes to win the MAC Tournament Championship. Defending MAC champions, Central Michigan were picked to finish second, earning three-first place tallies and compiled 43 total points. The Chippewas earned one vote to repeat as titleholders. No other program received first-place votes for 2023.

The Golden Flashes of Kent State were selected to finish third with 32 points, while Youngstown State (31), Akron (18), Eastern Michigan (13), and Detroit Mercy (13) round out the final spots of the preseason poll.

Led by Katrina Silva, who enters her sixth year as head coach of the Colonials, RMU returns a very experienced and veteran group who has made consecutive MAC Championship game appearances, while being crowned titlists in 2021. Only being in the MAC conference for two years, Silva owns a record of 23-12 overall behind an impressive 18-2 mark in league play.

The Colonials return the MAC Goalkeeper of the Year in Jamie Keller and four All-MAC honorees. Keller earned First Team honors while starting in net for all 18 games of the 2022 season. In her first year as a starting keeper, she held a .636 save percentage in MAC play, and paced the league in SV%, saves, and saves per game.

Sophomore Jenna Irwin returns after having a prolific freshman campaign, earning her All-MAC First Team accolades. In 17 starts last season, Irwin led the Colonials offense with 34 goals while collecting four assists for a total of 38 points. Specifically, the Liverpool product was most dangerous on the free-position, scoring 13 of her 16 shots and going 10-11 in MAC play.

RMU also returns a trio of second team all-conference players from 2022, including Colleen Tifft, Jordan Anderson, and Jerica Obee. Tifft enters her senior season after being named captain for the Colonials heading into the 2023 campaign. Starting in all 18 games a season ago, the Liverpool, N.Y., native finished fourth on the team after boasting a 37-point season, tallying the second most goals with 31. Tifft also added six assists while firing 91 shots, 70 of them coming on goal. A true two-way midfielder, the senior was also a force on the defensive end, grabbing 19 ground balls, causing 16 turnovers and winning 13 draw controls.

In 2022, Anderson made a name for herself in the draw circle, winning 94 draws and ranking second in the league in draw controls per game at 5.53. In addition to her success in the circle, the Minnesota native scored 17 goals, distributed seven assists, and accumulated 24 points for RMU. She has also managed to snag 25 ground balls and cause 12 turnovers.

A native of Severn, Ontario, Obee paced the Colonials with 45 total points, after boasting 28 goals and a team leading 17 assists. She connected on 12 free-position shots, while tallying 16 ground balls and caused five turnovers on the defensive.

The 2023 regular season for RMU begins on Friday, Feb. 10, when they travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on the Buckeyes of Ohio State at 3:00 p.m. The Colonials first home game at Joe Walton Stadium will be on Saturday, Feb. 25, when they welcome Bucknell at 12:00 p.m. Season tickets for the 2023 season are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the RMU Ticket Office at (412) 397-4949.

2023 MAC Lacrosse Preseason Poll

School (First-Place Votes)	Points
1. Robert Morris (4)	46
2. Central Michigan (3)	43
3. Kent State	32
4. Youngstown State	31
5. Akron	18
T6. Eastern Michigan	13
T6. Detroit Mercy	13