The Maryland women’s lacrosse team was ranked No. 2 in the IWLCA preseason poll released Monday.
The Terps sit behind North Carolina, while Florida, Southern California and Syracuse round out the top five. The Tar Heels received 18 of 20 first place votes, while the Terps grabbed two.
Maryland, which won the national championship in 2014 and 2015, went 22-0 in 2016 before suffering their only loss at the hands of the Tar Heels in the national championship game.
The Terps were also the unanimous pick to win the Big Ten. Coach Cathy Reese’s squad has won the Big Ten regular season title in both its seasons since joining the conference, as well as the conference tournament last season.
The Terps begin their season against William & Mary on Feb. 11, but their marquee matchup comes against the Tar Heels on Feb. 25. They’ll begin Big Ten play against Michigan on April 1.
