NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Atlantic 10 released its 2020 Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll and Preseason All-Conference teams on Friday afternoon, with Duquesne selected to finish fifth in the standings as voted by the league's 10 head coaches. In addition, midfielder Maddie Hart (Sykesville, Md. / Century) and defender Sydney Reed (Victor, N.Y. / Victor) garnered preseason all-conference accolades for the Dukes. 

Two-time champion Richmond was tabbed to repeat as conference champions with six first-place votes followed by Massachusetts second with four first-place votes. Saint Joseph's was picked to finish third, George Mason fourth and Duquesne fifth. 

Last season, led by first-year head coach Corinne Desrosiers, the Dukes qualified for the A-10 Tournament for the first time since 2016 with a 9-8 overall ledger. Duquesne shattered a number of single-season program records in 2019 including goals (270), points (371) and shots attempted (669). The Dukes started the 2019 campaign 4-0, the second 4-0 start in program history and first since 1999. 

Both Hart and Reed earned First Team All-Conference laurels following last season. Hart - the program's all-time leader in draw controls, stuffed the stat sheet for Duquesne all season. She broke her own single-season program record with 117 draw controls while pacing the Dukes in ground balls and caused turnovers, as well. She second on the team with 46 goals and tallied eight assists, totaling 54 points on the year. The Sykesville, Md. native capped the regular season first in the Atlantic 10 in draw controls, second in caused turnovers, third in ground balls and sixth in goals scored. Reed finished second on the team with 41 ground balls and 40 caused turnovers on the season for Duquesne, helping the Dukes win nine games for the first time since the 2016 season. 

Duquesne also returns leading goal scorer Rilee Bradshaw (Middletown, Md. / Middletown) and the Dukes' leader in assists Michaela Connolly (Sykesville, Md. / Century). Bradshaw paced the A-10 with 37 goals in conference play while Connolly dished out a team-high 25 assists to go with 32 goals on the year.  

The Dukes open the 2020 slate on the road at Ohio State next Friday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. 


2020 Atlantic 10 Preseason Coaches' Poll 
1. Richmond (6)
2. Massachusetts (4)
3. Saint Joseph's 
4. George Mason
5. Duquesne
6. VCU 
7. Davidson
8. George Washington
9. La Salle
10. St. Bonaventure

2020 Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Team
Attack 
Deanna Balsama, George Mason
Kaitlyn Cerasi, UMass
Sam Geiersbach, Richmond 

Midfield
Maddie Hart, Duquesne 
Erin Donoghue, George Mason 
Stephanie Croke, UMass
Madison Ostrick, Richmond
Bridget Cercielo, Saint Joseph's

Defense 
Natalie Junior, Davidson
Sydney Reed, Duquesne
Brittany Wright, Richmond

Goalie
Melissa Semkiw, George Mason