Feb. 5, 2009

Garden City, N.Y. - The Panthers garnered the #3 spot on the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association poll as released on February 3. Adelphi went through the season undefeated and suffered their only loss in the semi finals of the NCAA Tournament.

The West Chester Golden Rams, the reigning national champions, begin the 2009 season on top of the IWLCA weekly polls, as announced by the organization today. The Golden Rams earned 9 of the 10 first-place votes to rank first, followed by the C. W. Post Pioneers, who faced West Chester in the 2008 NCAA Championship final. The Pioneers were awarded one first-place vote and rank second nationally.

The PSAC leads all conferences with four schools in the top-10, lead by top-ranked West Chester. 2008 semifinalist Lock Haven comes in at No. 5 (tied), while conference rookies Mercyhurst (No. 7) and Gannon (No. 9) are also ranked. Three other conferences claim two members each, including the East Coast Conference, which claims the No. 2 Pioneers and No. 3 Adelphi. No. 4 Limestone and No. 10 Belmont Abbey represent Conference Carolinas and No. 5 (tied) Stonehill and No. 8 New Haven represent the Northeast-10.

The IWLCA poll will be released each week, beginning February 16.