Maddie Montgomery is 2024 USA Lacrosse D-III Women's Preseason Player of the Year

William Smith midfielder Maddie Montgomery is the USA Lacrosse Division III Women’s Preseason Player of the Year, USA Lacrosse Magazine announced Thursday. Montgomery also secured Preseason Midfielder of the Year honors.

Montgomery, a senior from Queensbury, N.Y., is an all-time great at William Smith. She already holds the program draw record (246) and enters 2024 second in career goals (203) and fourth in points (249). A freshman in 2020, Montgomery tore her ACL playing soccer at William Smith and could not play during what was eventually a shortened season anway due to the pandemic.

“When she did get back to the field, it wasn’t like she missed anything, she just picked up right away,” Herons coach Anne Phillips said. “She was ready to go on day one as soon as she was cleared.”

William Smith and Montgomery have an NCAA tournament run at the front of their minds. The Herons are No. 3 in the USA Lacrosse Preseason Top 20.

Continue below to see the three other players with preseason positional recognition.

PRESEASON ATTACKER OF THE YEAR

Hope Shue, Middlebury

As a sophomore in 2023, Shue recorded 105 points and was named the NCAA tournament’s most outstanding player, scoring 21 goals in the tournament and seven in the national championship game. She was an IWLCA first-team All-American, and her 83 goals broke Middlebury’s single-season record.

PRESEASON MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR

Maddie Montgomery, William Smith

Montgomery finished last season as an IWLCA first-team All-American and the IWLCA midfielder of the year. She racked up a program-record 84 goals and became just the third William Smith player to eclipse 100 points in a single season. She scored 15 goals in the NCAA tournament, helping the Herons reach the semifinals.

PRESEASON DEFENDER OF THE YEAR

Lily Macatee, Gettysburg

Macatee led Gettysburg in caused turnovers as a sophomore and led the Centennial Conference in draw controls, which helped her become the conference defender of the year. She was also tabbed an IWLCA first-team All-American and was named to the NCAA Division III All-Tournament team.

PRESEASON GOALIE OF THE YEAR

Isabella Garabo, York

Garabo is returning to York as a graduate student after anchoring the team’s 2023 NCAA tournament run. She earned an IWLCA first-team All-American selection and made 134 saves on the season, including 23 in the NCAA tournament.