CHARLOTTE – The Big South Conference announced the preseason poll along with the All-Conference Preseason Team for the upcoming 2023 season. Gardner-Webb had a program-record three players selected to it. In addition to that announcement, the preseason poll had the Runnin' Bulldogs listed in sixth as voting on by the league's head coaches.
Heather Lobas, Jada Preston, and Danielle Burke each earned a spot onto the list after each shattering numerous school records during the 2022 season. This past spring, each player earned a postseason honor from the Big South with Preston earning a spot on the First-Team while Burke and Lobas were each named Second-Teamers.
Preston set school records in single-season goals (55) and points (82) ranking in the Top-10 in the Big South for each. In points per game, she was fourth, tallying 4.67 each conference matchup. Preston ended the year on a tear, scoring at least five points in seven of the last eight games of the season. She converted 48.7% of her shots into goals. In addition to this selection, Preston earned a spot on the All-Academic Team with a 3.46 GPA in psychology. Lobas earned a spot on the All-Conference Team for back-to-back seasons, after leading the team in caused turnovers again. Last spring, she scooped 40 groundballs and caused 31 turnovers, each new marking career highs. Overall, she ranked first in the conference in CTs per game (1.76) and seventh for conference-only games (1.78). Lobas has caused at least two turnovers in the last five games of the regular year. Burke is the first goalkeeper from Gardner-Webb to be named to an All-Conference Team after leading the conference in saves per game (10.44) in Big South contests. She was also named Big South Defender of the Week (3/15) after turning away a school-record 18 shots against George Washington. Burke has collected 150 saves this year, collecting at least eleven in nine of the team's last eleven games of 2023.
Gardner-Webb will start their season hosting Cincinnati at noon on Sunday, February 12 in Interim Head Coach Maddie Martin's first game on the sidelines.
2023 WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
Rk Team (first-place votes)
1. Mercer (8)
2. High Point (1)
3. Campbell (1)
4. Furman
5. Winthrop
6. Gardner-Webb
7. Wofford
T-8. Longwood
T-8. Radford
10. Presbyterian College
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
ATT Mena Loescher, Gr., High Point
ATT Meagan Beal, Sr., Furman
ATT Chloe Schaeffer, Sr., Mercer
MF Sam Bischoff, Jr., Campbell
MF Emma Genovese, Gr., High Point
MF Lyndsey Lewis, Sr., Mercer
D Rebekah Taylor, Jr., Campbell
D Emma Pizzo, Gr., Mercer
D Heather Lobas, Gr., Gardner-Webb
GK Taylor Suplee, R-Sr., High Point
AL Jada Preston, ATT, Gr., Gardner-Webb
AL Hannah Dintino, MF, Sr., Furman
AL Danielle Burke, GK, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mena Loescher, ATT, Gr., High Point
PRESEASON MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR
Sam Bischoff, Jr., Campbell
PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rebekah Taylor, D, Jr., Campbell
