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

The Colonials earned one first-place vote and a total of 28 points while also earning one vote to win the MAC Tournament Championship. Defending MAC champions, Central Michigan were picked to finish second, earning three-first place tallies and compiled 32 total points. The Chippewas earned three votes to repeat as champions. Kent State was picked to finish first in the conference with three-first place votes and 33 total points narrowly beating out Central Michigan for the top spot.

The Eagles of Eastern Michigan were selected to finish fourth with 28 points, while Youngstown State (13), Akron (13, and Detroit Mercy (12) round out the final spots of the preseason poll.

Going into the 2024 season, the Colonials are now led by first-year head coach Courtney Grove who takes over a team that has been in the MAC Championship the past three seasons. Grove comes to RMU from the Division II ranks where she was a four-time PSAC Coach of the year at Seton Hill and guided the Griffins to three NCAA DII Tournament appearances from 2019-2023.

The Colonials are returning a loaded roster that includes four All-MAC honorees from the 2023 campaign. Colleen Tifft, Chelsea Coleman, and Mackenzie Bell were all awarded first-team honors while Jordan Anderson was tabbed to the All-MAC Second Team.

Graduate Student Colleen Tifft returns after having a prolific senior campaign as she was part of the conference first-team selection for the first time in her career. In 19 starts last season, Tifft led the Colonials offense with 51 points including 40 goals and 11 assists. Furthermore, the Liverpool product established career-highs in shots with 99 along with 77 of those being on goal.

Junior midfielder Chelsea Coleman looks to follow up a prolific 2023 campaign where she led the Colonials in goals with 43 as that was also good for fourth in the MAC. Coleman was stellar in free position scenarios as she led the team with eight goals in that category along with being second on the team in points with 50.

Mackenzie Bell returns for her senior season where she was a standout on the defensive side of the ball for the Colonials. Bell finished second on the team in caused turnovers with 19 along with being third on the squad with 26 ground balls to end the 2023 season. The Catonsville, Maryland native was awarded MAC Defensive Player of the Week once during the 2023 campaign while earning her first career All-MAC laurel.

Graduate Student Jordan Anderson comes back to the Colonials after being one of the top two-way players in the conference. Anderson led the MAC with 88 draw controls as she averaged 4.63 draw controls in 19 contests. The Prior Lake, Minnesota native was also fourth on the team with 11 caused turnovers during the 2023 season.

The 2024 regular season for RMU begins on Friday, Feb. 9, when they head to Columbus, Ohio to take on the Buckeyes of Ohio State at 4:00 p.m. The Colonials first home game at Joe Walton Stadium will be on Sunday, Feb. 18, when they welcome Cincinnati  at 12:00 p.m

2024 MAC Lacrosse Preseason Poll

School (First-Place Votes)	Points
1. Kent State (3)	33
2. Central Michigan (3)	32
3. Robert Morris (1)	28
4. Eastern Michigan	16
T5. Youngstown State	13
T5. Akron	13
7. Detroit Mercy	12