Predicting the next season's best teams shortly after the current season has concluded has been en vogue for years now. There's some good data to inform way-early rankings such as these -- current roster turnover, statistical leaders, etc. -- but fall practices are months away and the start of the season is even further distant. A lot can happen in the offseason, even before freshmen move on campus.
Taking the speculation for what it is, this year's finalists figure to be in the mix again, while Middlebury is the early pick to emerge from the always-competitive NESCAC.
1. The College of New Jersey
The Lions lose just three seniors from a team that led the NCAA championship game against Gettysburg fairly late in the second half, 5-4, and beat the Bullets in the regular season. Coached by National Hall of Famer Sharon Pfluger, there's a reason why TCNJ has reached the final 18 teams. The Lions rarely beat themselves and play great defense, leading the nation in fewest turnovers per game at 9.76 and scoring defense at 3.24 goals per game. While they'll miss Mia Blackman (50 goals in 2017), leading scorer Kathleen Jaeger (53g) was just a sophomore, and junior Elizabeth Morrison ranked in the top 20 nationally by causing 2.81 turnovers per game.
2. Gettysburg
Bullets' coach Carol Cantele earned her 400th career victory, perhaps underpublicized, in the 10-2 quarterfinal win over Salisbury, setting the stage for her program's second national championship. Like the Lions, Gettysburg played terrific defense (ranked fourth with 4.83 GPG) and respected possession of the ball (ranked fifth with 11.5 turnovers per game), but they had a difference-maker in goalie Shannon Keeler, who stopped 58.3 percent of shots faced (fourth nationally) and made 21 saves on final-four weekend. She and leading goal scorer Caroline Jaeger graduate with three other players, leaving Cantele to find a new goalie. But offensive quarterback Katie Landry (43a) returns, and the Bullets' championship-clinching rally came via goals from freshman Courtney Patterson and sophomore Steph Colson.
3. Middlebury
The Panthers won the 2016 championship and could return to the top in 2018 thanks to a roster that loses just four seniors. Middlebury beat TCNJ in the regular season before falling to the Lions in the regional final. Sophomore goalie Kate Furber ranked among the national leaders in goals-against average (7.16, 20th) and save percentage (52.2, 21st); impressive feats given the rigors of competing in the NESCAC. Senior Mary O'Connell may have made the offense go with team-highs of 44 goals and 31 assists, but junior Hollis Perticone led the league with 78 draw controls and chipped in 33 goals to win IWLCA Midfielder of the Year honors.
4. Washington and Lee
The Generals had their best season in 2017, posting a 19-2 record and taking TCNJ to double overtime in their first NCAA semifinal appearance. In the process, they quickly learned how the best do it -- by playing elite defense. W&L finished second to the aforementioned Lions in scoring defense (4.14 GPG) and could be a tough nut to crack given freshman Elliot Gilbert's stellar debut in goal (4.07 GAA, 51.1 sv%). The problem for coach Brooke O'Brien is that she graduates eight seniors, including two IWLCA All-Americans, and the Generals will go from hunter to hunted next season. But All-American sophomore Haley Tucker led the team in draw controls with 103 and scored 50 points (37g, 13a), and the Generals return two of three starters on defense.
5. York
The Spartans continue to reach new heights under coach Jen Muston, setting a program record with 16 wins and reaching the NCAA quarterfinals for the second time in three seasons. Seven of their top nine scorers return from a ball-control offense that turned possession over just 9.9 times per game, second-best in the nation. That's in addition to sophomore defender and CAC Player of the Year Nicole Clauter, who gobbles up draw controls and anchors a unit that ranked eighth nationally allowing just 5.95 GPG. Next season might finally see the Spartans unseat Salisbury in the CAC tournament.
6. Salisbury
The Sea Gulls again fought off York to win the Capital Athletic Conference and then won three NCAA tournament games before falling apart in a quarterfinal loss to eventual champion Gettysburg. Salisbury loses seven seniors, including three defenders, that won 94 games and the 2014 title, but a strong junior class returns to provide veteran talent offensively and defensively. In the cage, junior Gianna Falcone ranked 15th in the nation with a 6.86 GAA. An unselfish offense featured juniors Dana King (35g, 29a) and Kristen Murphy (22g, 30a) and sophomore Lindsey Wagner (28g, 21a).
7. Colby
The Mules started 2-3, and then they kept winning, including two games against defending national champion and league rival Middlebury. While seven seniors leave, sophomore goalie Izzy Scribano (47.8 sv%) returns, as do four juniors that joined senior honorees Lexie Petricone and Emilie Klein in accounting for much of Colby's offense. Junior Kendall Smith led the team with 48 goals, and classmate Jackie Brokaw will lead a defense that graduated one starter but no reserves.
8. Trinity
Perhaps painfully, the Bantams bid farewell to another senior class that seemingly did everything right but win a national championship. Nine seniors reached their fourth consecutive semifinal, but had the team's streak of five title-game appearances end. Trinity reloads behind juniors Kiley Koffey (team-high 58 goals) and Abby McInerney (37g, 13a) and the return of a mostly intact defense that includes veteran goalie Zoe Ferguson.
9. Franklin & Marshall
The Diplomats won the Centennial Conference and nearly eliminated Trinity in the NCAA round of 16, but 11 seniors gradtuate. However, F&M returns significant talent in junior IWLCA All-American Paige Moriarity (56g, 45a), freshman Melissa Judge (3.3 draw controls per game) and junior goalie Danielle Harrington (6.75 GAA, 50.0 sv%). At times, the Dips looked unbeatable; at others, average. But under coach Mike Faith, F&M remains a constant on the national scene.
10. William Smith
Once a constant on the national scene, the Herons returned to same and were just an overtime loss away from their first NCAA semifinal since 2003. Juniors Melissa Moore (47g, 16a) and Ali Burns (35g, 5a) seemed more than capable of replacing seniors Alexandra Bird and Allie Flaherty up front. The challenge for coach Anne Phillips will be breaking in a new goalie to follow senior IWLCA Goalkeeper of the Year Sarah Honan, who's among six seniors departing. Two starting defenders return, however.
In the conversation: Brockport, Cortland, Hamilton, Ithaca, St. John Fisher, Wesleyan