GORHAM, Maine – The University of Southern Maine women's lacrosse placed second in the 2026 Little East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Huskies had 52 points and one first place vote to rank second behind Western Connecticut State's 60 points and six first place votes.
 
The Huskies won a program record 13 games last season in the first year of head coach Ashley Durepo's second stint leading Southern Maine. Durepo was named the LEC Coach of the Year last season after the Huskies earned the third seed in the LEC Championship Tournament and reached the semifinals. The Huskies have strong group returning from last year's team including First Team All-LEC performers in graduate student Katelyn D'Appolonia (Yarmouth, Maine) and senior Britney Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy).
 
D'Appolonia, the conference's Rookie of the Year and an Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Second Team All-Pilgrim Region selection, led the Huskies with 57 goals and 73 points while also recording 82 draw controls. She led the conference in goals-per-game (4.00) last season and finished second in points-per-game (5.21). D'Appolonia also was a standout defensively with 43 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers.
 
Hill anchored the Huskies defense with a team-leading 47 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers while starting all 19 games. The defender had six games in which she caused multiple turnovers. She also set a career-high from ground balls with six in a win against the University of New England and latter matched that total in a win over Husson. 
 
Veterans like senior Cierra Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) and graduate student Anna Byers (Milford, Ct./ Joseph A. Foran) are other Huskies that will be looking to help the team build off last year's historic history. Hill, a midfielder and a Second Team All-LEC pick in 2023, led the team in caused turnovers with 37 and ranked second in draw controls (57), goals (46) and points (68). She also tied for the most assists on the team with 22. Byers, an attacker, scored 24 goals and had two assists last year while playing a key role in the team's draw control efforts.
 
Junior Eliza Pattershall (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) and senior Elaina Hanselmann (Sanford, Maine) each finished as among the team leaders in goals last season and are back for another year. Pattershall had a solid all-around season with 25 goals, five assists, 25 caused turnovers and 41 ground balls. Hanselmann scored 19 goals with 11 of them coming over the team's final five games.
 
The Huskies will have a new face in goal following the graduation of Lydia Laslavic last season. Freshman Emma Morrison (Rockland, Maine/Kents Hill) is projected to be starting goalie. Morrison was a two-time All-New England Preparatory School Athletic Council selection at Kents Hill School.
 
The Huskies begin the 2026 season with a home game against the University of New England on Tuesday, February 24 at 4:00 pm.
 
2026 LEC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Western Connecticut - 60 (6 FPV)
2. Southern Maine - 52 (1 FPV)
3. Eastern Connecticut - 51 (1 FPV)
4. Plymouth State - 50 (1 FPV)
5. Keene State - 37
6. UMass Dartmouth - 27
7. UMass Boston - 24
8. Vermont State Castleton - 15
9. Rhode Island College - 8