BETHLEHEM, Pa. – American University lacrosse senior attacker
Emma Vinall was selected to the Patriot League Preseason All-League Team, the league office released on Thursday. The recognition comes less than a week after Vinall earned the program's first Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-America Honorable Mention.
Voting for the Patriot League preseason poll was conducted by the league's head coaches and sport information directors. Neither group was permitted to vote for their own team.
Vinall is among the top returners for the Eagles this season, after she closed 2020 as the program's first Inside Lacrosse Media All-America honorable mention. She helped lead the team to its first undefeated nonconference record and led the Division I rankings in goals (42), goals per game (6.0), and shots on goal per game (7.71). She also ranked third in the country for total points (47) and points per game (6.71), and eighth for draw controls per game (7.86).
As a team, American was predicted to finish seventh in the Patriot League – the highest preseason ranking for the Eagles since 2014 when they were picked to finish fifth in the league.
Loyola Maryland led the preseason rankings with 162 points and 18 first-place votes, followed by Navy with 146 points and two first-place votes, and Army West Point (125 points) in third. Boston University (108), Lehigh (98), and Colgate (80) were fourth, fifth, and sixth in the poll, respectively. American was ranked above Holy Cross (60), Bucknell (32), and Lafayette (28).
The Eagles had a historic 2020 season, despite its premature end. American was one of eight teams in the Division I to close with an undefeated record at 7-0 and ranked within the top-10 of the country in seven categories including shots on goal per game (first, 31.86). AU was also second in draw controls per game (20.0), third in scoring offense (19.43), fourth in points per game (27.57), and seventh in assists per game (8.14).
American returns 21 of the 26 members from last year's team, including eight starters with Vinall, fellow senior captains
Kendall Goldblum and
Cate Golden, seniors
Casey Harkins,
Erica Skowron, and
Sarah Boney, and juniors
Hali Sibilia and
Katie Pierce. Senior goalkeeper
Delaney Oliveira also returns after splitting starting duties last season with then-senior
Emma Curtis.
The returning squad accounts for all but four of the 136 goals from 2020, and 54 of the 57 assists.
2021 Patriot League Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. Loyola Maryland (18 first-place votes), 162
2. Navy (2), 146
3. Army West Point, 125
4. Boston University, 108
5. Lehigh, 98
6. Colgate, 80
7. AMERICAN, 61
8. Holy Cross, 60
9. Bucknell, 32
10. Lafayette, 28
2021 Patriot League Women's Lacrosse Major Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Livy Rosenzweig, Loyola Maryland, Sr., Attack
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Katie Detwiler, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Defender
2021 Patriot League Women's Lacrosse Preseason All-League Team
Emma Vinall, American, Sr., A
Jackie Brattan, Army West Point, Sr., A
Caroline Raymond, Army West Point, Jr., A
Emily Vervlied, Boston University, Sr., A
Noelle Patterson, Colgate, Gr., M
Jolie Creo, Holy Cross, Jr., A
Grace Flink, Holy Cross, Jr., GK
Sondra Dickey, Lehigh, Sr., M
Livy Rosenzweig, Loyola Maryland, Sr., A
Katie Detwiler, Loyola Maryland, Jr., D
Sam Fiedler, Loyola Maryland, Sr., M
Elli Kluegel, Loyola Maryland, Sr., M
Jillian Wilson, Loyola Maryland, Jr., M
Nicole Victory, Navy, Sr., A
Reagan Roelofs, Navy, Jr., A/M
Gil Eby, Navy, Jr., M/D
For the latest on American University Lacrosse, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Lacrosse) and Instagram (@au_wlax).
