Joyce named to preseason All-SAC Second Team

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The Queens University of Charlotte Royals have yet again been selected as the 2022 South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse preseason favorite, the league office announced today.  The Royals received 10 first place votes from the league's head coaches and a total of 110 points.

Limestone University came in at the No. 2 spot with 99 points, while Wingate University took the remaining first-place vote coming in at No. 3 with 94 points. The University of Virginia's College at Wise came in fourth with 80 points and Lenoir-Rhyne University was picked to finish in the No. 5 spot with 77 points. Lincoln Memorial University placed No. 6 with 57 points and Newberry College was voted No. 7 with 53 points. Rounding out the preseason poll was Mars Hill University at No. 8 with 47 points, Catawba College at No. 9 with 46 points, Coker University in the No. 10 spot with 30 points and Tusculum University at No.11 with 22 points.

The South Atlantic Conference also announced its preseason All-Conference honors. On the first team at attack were, Katie Allen and Sydney Trask from UVA Wise, Elizabeth Muscella from Limestone and Suzy Smith Lenoir-Rhyne.

The first team midfielders were Queens' Sydney Bracken and Kyleigh Masteran, Wingate's Leah Knowles, and Newberry's Chole Wood.

Cassie Lafler from Lenoir-Rhyne, Sydney Hussey of Queens, Bailey Stumpf of Limestone and Erin Smith of UVA Wise were all named as defenders on the first team.

Megan Biase of Wingate finished up the list of pre-season first team honorees after being named a first team goalie.

Junior midfielder Sydney Joyce was selected as a second team honoree.  During her sophomore campaign, Joyce led the Lions with 39 goals and 48 points, 53 draw controls, and a 90.1 shots on goal percentage.  She was second on the team in assists with nine and fourth with 23 groundballs.

The 2022 South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse season is set to begin on Saturday, Feb. 1. The 2022 South Atlantic Conference Women's Lacrosse Championship is set for April 26, 29 and May 5th with quarterfinals at campus sites and the semifinals and finals at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

2022 Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll

All-SAC First Team

A – Katie Allen, UVA Wise

A – Elizabeth Muscella, Limestone

A – Suzy Smith, Lenoir-Rhyne

A – Sydney Trask, UVA Wise

MF – Sydney Bracken, Queen

MF – Leah Knowles, Wingate

MF – Kyleigh Masteran, Queens

MF – Chloe Wood, Newberry

D – Bailey Stumpf, Limestone

D – Cassie Lafler, Lenoir-Rhyne

D – Sydney Hussey, Queens

D – Erin Smith, UVA Wise

GK – Megan Biase, Wingate

All-SAC Second Team

A – Megann McKinney, Tusculum

A – Kaitlyn Cavanaugh, Lenoir-Rhyne

A – Caroline Pearce, Queens

A – Ali Van der Ziel, Lincoln Memorial

MF – Gracie DePaul, Limestone

MF – Sydney Joyce, Mars Hill

MF – Becca Ruiz, Wingate

MF – Shannon Donovan, Queens

D – Grace Guglielmo, Queens

D – Emily Phipps, Wingate

D – Caroline Heffner, Wingate

D – Isabelle Dunnam, Lenoir-Rhyne

GK – Madelyn DeSoto, Limestone