US Lacrosse Magazine released the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Preseason Top 20 on Jan. 2. Team-by-team previews will be unveiled on uslaxmagazine.com through the end of the month and will also appear as part of the magazine’s NCAA preview edition in February.
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No. 16 Navy
2018 Record: 18-4 (8-1 Patriot League)
Coach: Cindy Timchal (12th year)
All-Time Record: 173-47
NCAA Appearances: 6
Final Fours: 1
Championships: 0
A legendary coach has the annual task of solving the graduation problem.
Cindy Timchal’s Navy squad is replacing a renowned senior class that led the program to a pair of NCAA quarterfinal appearances and the 2017 semifinals. The Midshipmen return their leading scorer (junior Kelly Larkin, 117 points), but even she was overshadowed at times by Jenna and Julia Collins. Larkin didn’t even earn All-America honors from the IWLCA.
Then attention is paid to the defense: gone are three starters and a three-year starting goalie. This would seem like a daunting task to most coaches, but not Timchal.
“I don’t feel like it’s different than any other years,” Timchal said. “Certainly a special team graduated in 2018, but when our focus is player development every day, staying even-keeled and on course, that is what makes us great.”
In addition to Larkin, offensive captain Andie O’Sullivan (25g, 20a) and 40-goal scorer Meg O’Donnell will be expected to step up, in addition to other role players like Kayla Harris (28g, 75 draws) and Molly O’Sullivan (15g). Andie O’Sullivan, in particular, will have the added duty, and honor, of leading the attack.
“[Andie] really leads by example, works extraordinarily hard,” Timchal said. “At the service academies, being a captain of a team is more than just a popularity contest, you go through a selection process. It’s a bit more intense than other places. She is a player who has been great for us since she stepped up on campus.”
The defensive captain is Marie Valenti, who led the team in caused turnovers (33) last season en route to second-team All-Patriot League honors. The leadership Valenti and Andie O’Sullivan provides is important for accountability up and down the roster.
“[Marie] has been an impact player and starter for us for all her years,” Timchal noted. “She has lots of leadership and gets better every day at practice. We need that kind of leadership from both Andie and Marie. And leadership starts with them and the rest of the senior class and it trickles down to have a team that works together and excels together.”
With the leadership solidified, Timchal is able to identify younger players who can step up, even if from unexpected places. Two players Timchal raved about were sophomore Nicole Victory and first-year Reagan Roelofs.
Victory, who will don Jenna Collins’ No. 44 jersey, appeared in 15 games off the bench, scoring 12 times. Roelofs, Minnesota’s high school player of the year in 2018, is expected to make an immediate impact. She was a three-sport athlete at Apple Valley High School in ice hockey, lacrosse and cross-country skiing.
Ultimately, Navy’s success will likely come down to how it fares against Loyola. Last season, the Mids won two of three meetings and overall Navy has taken three of the last four meetings. All three of those wins came in elimination tournaments.
“It’s fun to compete against them,” Timchal said. “Having Loyola, and now us, being able to compete with [the nation’s best], we’re making it really great and exciting.”