ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum University has been picked to finish ninth in the South Atlantic Conference Women's Lacrosse preseason coaches poll, announced Tuesday by the SAC office. Senior midfielder Juliette Cusano was selected preseason second-team All-SAC in voting by the conference's media relations offices.

The Pioneers went 4-12 overall last season and 2-6 in conference play, tied for sixth place in the final standings with Coker and Mars Hill. Tusculum's conference victories last season came at home over Newberry (19-13) and on the road at Mars Hill by a 16-15 score.

Cusano was named second-team All-SAC for the second straight season last year after she scored a school single-season record 61 goals and finished the season with 69 points, the second-most in a season in Tusculum history and ninth in the SAC. Cusano was seventh in the conference with 72 draw controls and was second in the league with 23 free-position goals. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native scored at least one goal in all 16 games for the Pioneers, including a career-high nine goals against Coker and seven in a win over Lees-McRae. Cusano had two or more goals in 14 of the Pioneers' 16 matches and had four or more draw controls in 10 contests, including a program-record 13 against Lees-McRae.

Cusano enters her senior season with 114 career goals and 18 assists for 132 points, ranking third in career goals and fourth in points. She ranks sixth on the program career list in ground balls (78), second in draw controls (165) and fourth in caused turnovers (42).

Perennial SAC powerhouse Queens grabbed eight first-place votes and the top spot in the poll with 89 points, with Lenoir-Rhyne taking one first-place vote and second place with 78 points. Wingate had the other first-place vote and was third with 75 points, followed by SAC newcomer UVa-Wise (64 points) and Lincoln Memorial (61) in fifth. Catawba (51 points) was sixth, followed by Mars Hill (37 points) and Coker (35). Tusculum had ninth place with 31 points, with Newberry bringing up 10th place with 19 points.

The Pioneers will host Cumberlands in their season opener on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at Pioneer Field, and travel to Newberry for the start of conference play on Saturday, March 7. The Pioneers will conclude the regular season on Saturday, Apr. 18 at home against Wingate.

South Atlantic Conference Women's Lacrosse
Preseason Coaches Poll
Rk Team (1st)         Pts.
1. Queens (8)          89
2. Lenoir-Rhyne (1)    78
3. Wingate (1)         75
4. UVa-Wise            64
5. Lincoln Memorial    61
6. Catawba             51
7. Mars Hill           37
8. Coker               35
9. TUSCULUM            31
10 Newberry            19

2020 Women's Lacrosse Preseason All-Conference
All-SAC First Team
A – Rachel Perrett, Queens
A – Kendall Wells, Wingate
A – Ally Blood, Queens
A – Kara Blanchard, Queens
MF – Sydney Bracken, Queens
MF – Caroline Earnshaw, UVa-Wise
MF – Allison Conn, Queens
MF – Gia Colombo, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Sydney Hussey, Queens
D – Cassie Lafler, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Zoe Zervos, Lincoln Memorial
D – Sierra Street, Wingate
GK – Chase Brokaw, Queens

All-SAC Second Team
A – Cathleen Gaffney, Lenoir-Rhyne
A – Erin DePaul, Lincoln Memorial
A – Alyssa Sack, Lenoir-Rhyne
A – Jesse French, UVa-Wise
MF – Becca Ruiz, Wingate
MF – Juliette Cusano, Tusculum
MF – Kelly Csenar, Lincoln Memorial
MF – Chloe Wood, Newberry
D – Charlotte Hess, UVa-Wise
D – Caroline Falcone, Catawba
D – Maggie Fabean, Queens
D – Madison Prkna, Lenoir-Rhyne
GK – Teanna Sieben, Lenoir-Rhyne