Sky-High Expectations for Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse

By Jacob Morris

Citrus TV’s Women’s Lacrosse Beat Reporter

All eyes will be on the Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse team when it open its season against Canisius on Friday night. Despite a few key losses, the Orange return a plethora of talent from their team that made the NCAA quarterfinals a season ago. SU is ranked fourth in Inside Lacrosse’s preseason poll and the team touts four Preseason All-Americans.

At the end of 2019, SU notably graduated its assist leader in Nicole Levy and Alexa Radziewicz on defense. Levy played a large role on the Orange attack, tied for third on the team with 56 points. Levy became just the 10^th player in program history to eclipse 200 career points and earned Second Team All-ACC honors.

Radziewicz started each of her final 69 games for the Orange, a streak that spanned over more than three years. The senior was sixth on the team in caused turnovers and eighth in ground balls last season. Radziewicz played a key role for the Orange defense, shutting down players around the crease.

Despite those two moving on, the Orange are still stacked with talent at every single position. Preseason First Team All-Americans Emily Hawryshuk and Sarah Cooper lead SU on each end of the field. Hawryshuk led the ‘Cuse with 94 points in 2019, being named a Tewaaraton Award nominee. Cooper was consistently one of the best defenders in the country in her first collegiate season. The freshman led the ACC in caused turnovers per game and was the only first year player to appear on the Tewaatron Award watchlist last season.

Syracuse will feature a couple of new faces this season in the midfield. Katelyn Mashewske and Bianca Chevarie are both top-40 recruits and will look to make an immediate impact for the Orange. Mashewske committed to SU back in 2015 and played in the Under Armour All-America game last year. Chevarie won a silver medal with Canada’s U-19 team in August and represented the national team in October at the Fall Classic.

Syracuse hasn’t reached the Final Four since 2016 when they fell to Maryland, one game short of the National Championship. This year’s squad is ranked inside the top five in every single preseason poll and is one of just three teams with multiple Preseason First-Team All-Americans. The Orange look poised for a strong season and a run at a much-awaited return to Championship Weekend.

jmorri27@syr.edu | @jacobwm35