COLONIA, NJ – Defending ECC Champion Roberts Wesleyan unanimously headlines the 2025 East Coast Conference Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league’s seven head coaches and announced on Tuesday morning. Additionally, Roberts Wesleyan senior attacker Emma Blumenstock (Penfield, NY) is the unanimous selection for the 2025 ECC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Mercy senior defender Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, NY) repeats as the 2025 ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. These two ECC standouts represent the conference’s returning All-Americans, as Shimborske earned First Team honors from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) and Second Team recognition for USA Lacrosse Magazine and Blumenstock received Third Team recognition from the IWLCA and an Honorable Mention nod from USA Lacrosse Magazine.
Roberts Wesleyan took home all seven first-place votes to top the poll with 49 points. The Redhawks (13-5, 6-0 ECC in 2024) have appeared, with Mercy, in each of the last four ECC Championship Tournament Finals and have won it all twice during that span, in 2021 and 2024. Under the direction of reigning ECC Coach of the Year Kristin Paolini, the Redhawks led the ECC in 10+ categories last spring, including win percentage (72.2%), scoring offense (14.28), points per game (24.61), and assists per game, with an NCAA Division II-leading 10.33.
ECC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Blumenstock finished the 2024 campaign with 104 points (16th nationally) on 42 goals and 62 assists (third nationally) to earn ECC Offensive Player of the Year accolades. In regular season conference action, the four-time ECC Offensive Player of the Week totaled 45 points (1st in the ECC) on 19 goals (T-3rd) and 26 assists (1st), including eight points in wins over Molloy (2G, 6A), D’Youville (5G, 3A), St. Thomas Aquinas (4G, 4A), and Mercy (1G, 7A), seven points in a win over Daemen (5G, 2A), and six points in a win over District of Columbia (2G, 4A).
Blumenstock totaled nine points (5G, 4A) in the ECC Championship Tournament and emerged the hero of the ECC Championship Tournament Final, scoring the game-winning goal in Roberts Wesleyan 12-11 overtime win over Mercy.
The All-ECC First Team attacking trio of Blumenstock (42G, 62A), Rugaber (58G, 33A), and Annie Mulhall 62G, 14A) combined for 271 points in 2024. The Redhawks lose Rugaber and reigning ECC Midfielder of the Year Sophia Podszebka, who ranked second nationally in draw controls per game (9.06, 163 total), to graduation but return their next two highest point contributors in All-ECC Second Team selections Ella Dossier (14G, 35A) and Kadie Tierney (24G, 8A). RWU also returns ECC Co-Goalkeeper of the Year Shawna Lesmerises, who topped the ECC and ranked 17th nationally in goals against average (9.38), as well as All-ECC Second Team defenders Allison Clahane (32GB, 22CT) and Emma Taylor (25GB, 13CT).
Coming off of a 9-10 (5-1 ECC) season, Mercy earned 42 points to rank No. 2 in the ECC preseason voting. The Mavericks have appeared in each of the last seven ECC Championship Tournament Finals, winning three titles during that span (2019, 2022, 2023). The All-ECC First Team duo of Leah Hansen (65G, 8A) and Leena Moussa (52G, 20A) led Mercy on the offensive end last year with 70+ points apiece; with the graduation of Moussa, All-ECC Second Team pick Andie Mott (16G, 28A) will look to step into a bigger role on the attack. Shimborske and All-ECC Second Team defender Emily Marino (2nd Team, 23GB, 14CT) return to anchor the Mavs’ back line.
The reigning back-to-back ECC Defensive Player of the Year, Shimborske enters her final season with the Mavericks this spring. The Mercy senior led the ECC in caused turnovers (41) and ranked second in ground balls (48) and draw controls (114) last season, all of which ranked in the top 25 nationally.
In regular season conference action, Shimborske tallied high draw control numbers in wins over St. Thomas Aquinas (10), District of Columbia (9), and D’Youville (8) and went off for four ground balls, two caused turnovers, and eight draw controls in Mercy’s regular season finale victory over Daemen. In the ECC postseason, Shimborske totaled 10 ground balls, four caused turnovers, and 13 draw controls to pace Mercy back to its seventh consecutive ECC Championship Tournament Final.
Molloy (8-8, 3-3 ECC last year) is expected to reach its seventh consecutive ECC Championship Tournament as the Lions come in No. 3 in the preseason poll with 34 points. Molloy returns its leading two scorers in a pair of All-ECC attackers: First Team selection (and 2023 ECC Attacker of the Year) Megan Rugolo (50G, 16A) and Second Team pick Alexa Amorison (25G, 20A). All-ECC Second Team midfielder Sofia Quitoni was Molloy’s third offensive option (28G, 9A) and added 28 ground balls, 23 caused turnovers, and 35 draw controls while Carly Howell will be a force on the defensive end; the All-ECC Second Team midfielder posted 32 ground balls - many of which were on the re-defend at critical moments - and 23 caused turnovers last spring. The Lions topped the ECC in caused turnovers per game (11.31) as well as multiple offensive categories, including free position percentage (47.5 percent, led by Rugolo’s 16 FPG) and shots/shots on goal per game (31.81/24.25).
Coming off of its most successful regular season record (7-10) and ECC record (4-2) in program history, D’Youville is the fourth and final expected ECC Championship Tournament participant with 29 points. The Saints have made the ECC Championship Tournament in each of the last three seasons and return a pair of All-ECC First Team defensive standouts in reigning Co-Goalkeeper of the Year Brinn Stworzydlak and defender Lauren Parker. Stworzydlak topped the ECC and ranked eighth nationally in total saves (178, 10.47 per game) en route to a 44.3 save percentage and 13.44 goals against average while Parker sat in the ECC’s top four in ground balls (49), caused turnovers (26), and draw controls (76). On the offensive end, All-ECC Second Team attackers Madison Handley (51G, 14A) and Madison Buck (32G, 13A) are DYU’s returning scorers after combining for 110 points last season while Sydney Gordon, just 10 goals shy of 100 for her career, is expected to have strong year.
Under the new direction of first-year head coach Emily Bitka (Slippery Rock ’18), Daemen earned 21 points to finish No. 5 in the preseason poll. Led by All-ECC Second Team midfielder Ella Bouley (32G, 13A, 48DC) and Avery Castner (24G, 8A), the Wildcats return eight of their top nine scorers from last year’s squad that went 5-12 overall and finished 2-4 in conference play. Jenna Havert returns as a force on the defensive end after posting double-digit numbers in ground balls (team-high 33) and caused turnovers (12). The ‘Cats will look to replace All-ECC Second Team goalkeeper Tatiana Wright in net; Wright topped the ECC in save percentage (45.7) and sat second in goals against average (10.95).
Finishing 4-12 overall (1-5 ECC) last season, St. Thomas Aquinas finishes No. 6 in the preseason voting with 14 points. The Spartans return their top three point scorers from a year ago in Katelyn Cerrato (25G, 17A), Ella Entress (32G, 1A), and Hailey Galison (19G, 10A). On the defensive end, Galison topped the country in ground balls per game (5.50) and returns as STAC’s leader in draw controls (52).
District of Columbia rounds out the poll with seven points. UDC’s scoring pair of junior Jada Williams (30G, 6A to go with 52 draw controls) and senior Michelle Mitchell (25G, 2A) return after combining for 64 percent of the Firebirds’ offensive production a season ago. Junior goalkeeper Natalia Perkins also returns between the pipes after ranking sixth in the nation in saves per game (134 total, 11.17). District of Columbia finished 1-13 (0-6 ECC) last season, earning a win over Trinity on April 16.
The ECC's seven women's lacrosse programs will open up their 2025 campaigns beginning Wednesday, February 12 (Molloy vs. Adelphi) and through Saturday, February 22 (D'Youville vs. Northwood). For the ECC's complete 2025 women's lacrosse composite schedule, please click here.
2025 ECC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. Roberts Wesleyan - 49 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Mercy - 42 points
3. Molloy - 34 points
4. D’Youville - 29 points
5. Daemen - 21 points
6. St. Thomas Aquinas - 14 points
7. District of Columbia - 7 points
2025 ECC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Emma Blumenstock, Sr., A, Roberts Wesleyan
2025 ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Lindsey Shimborske, Sr., D, Mercy