Lindenwood, last year’s national champion, didn’t miss a beat in its 2022 season opener, flexing its muscles with a 16-4 victory over Rockhurst. The Lions, ranked No. 1 in the preseason, scored just 11 seconds into the game and never looked back to maintain the top spot in the first regular season update to the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division II Women’s Top 20.
Lindenwood is one of eight ranked teams that has launched play in the new season. The only setback among ranked squads was preseason No. 18 Mount Olive’s non-conference loss to unranked Embry-Riddle. The loss dropped the Trojans out of the top 20 and allowed third-year program Lander, off to a 3-0 start, to claim its first ever appearance in the weekly ranking.
Two more ranked teams, No. 2 UIndy and No. 15 Grand Valley State, kick off their 2022 campaigns this week. GVSU opens Thursday at St. Leo and then visits No. 13 Tampa in this week’s only game between ranked competitors.
NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III WOMEN’S TOP 20
|
|
Feb. 14, 2022 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Lindenwood |
1-0 |
1 |
2/18 at Northern Michigan |
|
2 |
Indianapolis |
0-0 |
2 |
2/18 at McKendree |
|
3 |
Le Moyne |
0-0 |
3 |
3/2 vs. No. 14 Mercy |
|
4 |
Queens |
1-0 |
4 |
2/17 vs. Lee |
|
5 |
West Chester |
0-0 |
5 |
2/27 vs. Mercyhurst |
|
6 |
East Stroudsburg |
0-0 |
6 |
3/2 vs. Jefferson |
|
7 |
Roberts Wesleyan |
0-0 |
7 |
2/27 at Walsh |
|
8 |
Rollins |
1-0 |
8 |
2/25 at Lenoir-Rhyne |
|
9 |
Florida Southern |
1-0 |
9 |
2/27 vs. No. 4 Queens |
|
10 |
Regis |
1-0 |
10 |
2/23 at UC-Colo. Sprgs |
|
11 |
Limestone |
2-0 |
11 |
2/16 vs. Young Harris |
|
12 |
Seton Hill |
0-0 |
12 |
2/26 vs. Shippensburg |
|
13 |
Tampa |
1-0 |
13 |
2/20 vs. No. 16 Grand Valley St. |
|
14 |
Mercy |
0-0 |
14 |
2/23 at Lock Haven |
|
15 |
Grand Valley State |
0-0 |
15 |
2/17 at St. |
|
16 |
Bentley |
0-0 |
16 |
2/26 at S. Conn. St |
|
17 |
Adelphi |
0-0 |
17 |
2/23 at Georgian Court |
|
18 |
Lander |
3-0 |
NR |
2/16 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne |
|
19 |
Pace |
0-0 |
19 |
2/27 vs. Jefferson |
|
20 |
St. Anselm |
0-0 |
20 |
3/5 vs. S. Conn. St |
Also considered: Assumption, Bloomsburg, Concordia-St. Paul, Davenport, Embry-Riddle, McKendree, Mercyhurst
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Limestone (no change)
The Saints didn’t climb from their No. 11 preseason perch, but they nevertheless enjoyed a good opening week with solid victories over North Greenville and Montevallo. Freshman midfielder Sarah Dudick made an impressive splash in her collegiate debut, tallying a team-high five goals in both of Limestone’s victories.
Tampa (no change)
The Spartans outscored visiting Alabama-Huntsville 11-0 in the second half to post a decisive 22-5 season-opening victory. Midfielders Sarah Hinkle and CeCe Colombo combined for eight goals to pace No. 11 Tampa, which welcomes No. 15 Grand Valley State on Sunday.
IN
Lander (No. 18)
The Bearcats, a third-year program, earn their first-ever appearance in the national ranking on the strength of a 3-0 start that included a 15-14 overtime win over Belmont Abbey. Tabbed to finish sixth in the Gulf South Conference coaches’ poll, Lander rallied from a nine-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to down Belmont, which was picked in the preseason to finish second in Conference Carolinas.
OUT
Mount Olive (was No. 18)
The Trojans, coming off their first NCAA tournament berth in 2021, suffered a 14-12 loss at home to unranked Embry-Riddle in last week’s season opener. UMO is the preseason pick by the league’s coaches to repeat as champion in Conference Carolinas but could not overcome 19 turnovers in its opening game loss.