HPU Women’s Lacrosse Named Big South Favorite, Sweeps Preseason Honors

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The High Point University women’s lacrosse team has been picked as the favorite in the 2018 Big South Preseason Women’s Lacrosse Poll, the conference announced Tuesday (Jan. 23).

In addition, senior Darla Poulin was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and senior Erica Perrotta was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Perrotta and Poulin were joined on the Preseason All-Big South Team by senior Olivia Nostrant and sophomore Jill Rall.

In the preseason poll, the defending champion Panthers earned seven out of eight possible first-place votes and finished with 63 points. Winthrop (one first-place vote) and Campbell were tied for second with 51 points, followed by Liberty (38), Radford (32), Longwood (26), Presbyterian (15) and Gardner-Webb (12).

Darla Poulin – Senior – Senior – Hauppauge, N.Y. – Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Poulin scored 55 goals in 2017, which ranked third in the Big South and 34th in the nation. She scored five goals or more six times during the season and tallied 79 points (fourth in conference, 27th in nation). Poulin’s 55 goals ranked as the second-most in HPU single-season history and her 79 points were third-most. She also recorded an HPU single-season record six game-winning goals.

Erica Perrotta – Senior – Midfielder – Roseland, N.J. – Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Perrotta is a third-time All-Big South First Team selection. She was tied for fourth in the conference with 31 caused turnovers in 2017. Perrotta led HPU with 44 ground balls and also grabbed 31 draw controls. On the offensive end, she added 39 goals and 30 assists.

Olivia Nostrant – Senior – Defender – Haverford, Pa.
Nostrant was named to the 2017 All-Big South Second Team and recorded 36 ground balls, 27 caused turnovers and 17 draw controls. She was a big contributor on the defense that held Big South Conference to six goals a game during the regular season.

Jill Rall – Sophomore – Goalkeeper – Bayport, N.Y.
Rall was named to the 2017 All-Big South Second Team and led the conference and was 13th in the nation with a 9.16 goals against average. She tied the school record with 15 wins in 2017. Rall recorded a 39.2 save percentage and tallied 5.44 saves per game in 2017.

2018 Big South Preseason Women’s Lacrosse Poll
1. High Point (7) – 63
2T. Winthrop (1) – 51
2T. Campbell – 51
4. Liberty – 38
5. Radford – 32
6. Longwood – 26
7. Presbyterian – 15
8. Gardner-Webb – 12
Note: First-place votes denoted in parenthesis

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
ATT Darla Poulin, Sr., High Point
ATT Kayla Reilly, Sr., Campbell
ATT Nicole Beatson, Sr., Winthrop
MF Erica Perrotta, Sr., High Point
MF Melissa Placek, Jr., Campbell
MF Katherine Judge, Sr., Winthrop
MF Carly White, Soph., Liberty
MF Emma Rogers, Jr., Radford
D Megan Reilly, Sr., Campbell
D Olivia Nostrant, Sr., High Point
D Shea Swingle, Soph., Radford
GK Alaina Girani, R-Jr., Winthrop
AL Kayla Foster, Jr., Liberty
AL Molly Barkman, Soph., Longwood
AL Jill Rall, Soph., High Point

PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Darla Poulin, ATT, Sr., High Point

PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Erica Perrotta, MF, Sr., High Point