High Point WLAX 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 2019 Big South Women’s Lacrosse Poll, the conference announced Tuesday (Jan. 22).

In addition, sophomore Abby Hormes has been selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and senior Samantha Herman has been tabbed as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Hormes and Herman were picked on the Preseason All-Big South Team, along with juniors Ashley Britton and Meredith Chapman.

In the preseason poll, High Point was selected as the favorite with 48 points and six out of a possible seven first-place votes. Campbell was picked second with 41 points and the remaining first-place vote, while Winthrop was third with 32 points. Radford was fourth (30 points), followed by Longwood (23), Gardner-Webb (13) and Presbyterian (9).

Hormes was the 2018 Big South Freshman of the Year and was 33rd in the nation, fourth in the Big South and led HPU in goals with 59 in 2018. Her 59 goes ranked as the No. 5 freshman in the country. She was 10th in the nation in shot percentage at 57.8 percent (ranked as No. 2 freshman in the country). Hormes recorded 12 hat tricks and scored five or more goals four times, including six against Duke. She also picked up 29 draw controls and 18 ground balls.

Herman was a 2018 All-Big South First-Team selection and the Big South Tournament MVP. She broke the HPU record and ranked 78th in the country with 79 draw controls in 2018. Her draw control prowess guided High Point to have the second-best scoring defense in the country (8.55 goals allowed per game). She caused the fourth-most turnovers per game in the Big South (1.74) and picked up 39 ground balls, second on the team. At the offensive end, Herman tallied 31 points and 29 goals.

Britton was a member of the 2018 All-Big South First Team and was second on the High Point squad with 49 draw controls. She was fourth on the team with 40 points on 33 goals and seven assists. She also picked up 24 ground balls. Britton recorded three or more points in eight games last season and scored four goals three times, against Big South foes Radford, Winthrop and Longwood.

Chapman, a 2018 First-Team All-Big South selection, was a key defender for the Panthers that picked up 48 draw controls from the circle. She tied for second on the team with 39 ground balls and was fourth on the team with 28 caused turnovers. Also helped lead the defense to have the second-best scoring defense in the country (8.55 goals per game).

The Panthers open the 2019 season at Furman on Feb. 9 at 1 p.m.

2019 Big South Conference Preseason Poll
1. High Point (6) – 48
2. Campbell (1) – 41
3. Winthrop – 32
4. Radford – 30
5. Longwood – 23
6. Gardner-Webb – 13
7. Presbyterian – 9
Note – First-place votes denoted in parenthesis

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
ATT – Abby Hormes, Soph., High Point
ATT – Melissa Placek, Sr., Campbell
ATT – Adrian Rius, Sr., Radford
MF – Samantha Herman, Sr., High Point
MF – Callie Bonnel, Sr., Radford
MF – Sam Carey, Jr., Campbell
D – Meredith Chapman, R-Jr., High Point
D – Amanda Chasin, Sr., Campbell
D – Hudson Roarick, Sr., Presbyterian
GK – Alaina Girani, R-Sr., Winthrop
AL – Emily Torris, D, Sr., Winthrop
AL – Ashley Britton, MF, Jr., High Point
AL – Kaitlin Luccarelli, Jr., ATT, Longwood

PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Abby Hormes, ATT, Soph., High Point

PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Samantha Herman, MF, Sr., High Point