Temple University Athletics
Nicole Tiernan
Photo by: Hua Zong
Lacrosse's Nicole Tiernan Named to Preseason All-BIG EAST Team; Owls Picked Fifth
1.27.15 | Women's Lacrosse
NEW YORK - Temple junior Nicole Tiernan is one of 16 to be selected to the 2015 Preseason All-BIG EAST Lacrosse Team, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday after a vote by the league's eight head coaches. The 2015 Preseason BIG EAST Poll was also released, with newcomer Florida predicted to take the title.
The BIG EAST welcomed Florida and Vanderbilt as affiliate members for women's lacrosse in the offseason, and the Gators are the unanimous pick to win the league in their inaugural season.
Florida totaled 49 points and earned all seven available first-place votes, while Georgetown was picked second with 42 points. Connecticut earned the final available first-place vote and totaled 36 points to come in third, followed by the Commodores, who earned 32 points in their first BIG EAST poll. Temple rounded out the top five with 24 points, followed by Villanova in sixth (21 points), Marquette in seventh (12) and Cincinnati in eighth (eight).
Tiernan was a 2014 BIG EAST Second Team selection after an outstanding sophomore season in which he was the team's second-leading scorer with 29 goals. In BIG EAST games, Tiernan led the Owls with 18 goals. Her 2.57 goals per game in conference contests ranked fourth in the league. Tiernan had at least two goals in each of the final five games for Temple, including four against #19 Louisville and three against Georgetown. In the summer of 2014, Tiernan was invited to try out for the U.S. Women's National Team.
Temple narrowly missed out on a berth in the four-team BIG EAST Tournament in 2014, finishing in a three-way tie for fourth place but coming up short in a tiebreaker. The Owls went 3-4 in the league and 6-10 overall, but return six of their top eight leading scorers from last season.
Due to a tie in voting, three players shared BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors: Marquette defender Elizabeth Goslee, Georgetown defender Adrianne Devine and Gator defender Caroline Fitzgerald. UF's Shannon Gilroy was voted BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. All four major award winners were unanimous selections to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
Fitzgerald and Gilroy lead a Gator squad which enters its inaugural BIG EAST season ranked No. 3 by Inside Lacrosse's national preseason poll. Florida finished the 2014 campaign with an 18-3 record, advancing to the NCAA Championship Quarterfinals before falling in overtime, and 10 of the starters to play in that game are back in 2015. Gilroy led the nation in goals (86) as Florida won its fourth consecutive American Lacrosse Conference regular-season title and second ALC Tournament crown in three years. Gilroy was a 2014 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) First-Team All-American and Tewaaraton Award finalist, while Fitzgerald was a 2015 Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American (Second Team).
Florida placed a league-best four members on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team as attacker Sammi Burgess and midfielder Nora Barry were also unanimous picks. Burgess was named ALC Rookie of the Year after netting 38 goals and 53 points in 2014, while Barry earned Third Team All-America plaudits last season, leading UF with 43 ground balls.
The 2015 season begins for Temple on Wednesday, Feb. 11 when the Owls host UMBC at 3:00 p.m.Â
BIG EAST Preseason Release
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The BIG EAST welcomed Florida and Vanderbilt as affiliate members for women's lacrosse in the offseason, and the Gators are the unanimous pick to win the league in their inaugural season.
Florida totaled 49 points and earned all seven available first-place votes, while Georgetown was picked second with 42 points. Connecticut earned the final available first-place vote and totaled 36 points to come in third, followed by the Commodores, who earned 32 points in their first BIG EAST poll. Temple rounded out the top five with 24 points, followed by Villanova in sixth (21 points), Marquette in seventh (12) and Cincinnati in eighth (eight).
Tiernan was a 2014 BIG EAST Second Team selection after an outstanding sophomore season in which he was the team's second-leading scorer with 29 goals. In BIG EAST games, Tiernan led the Owls with 18 goals. Her 2.57 goals per game in conference contests ranked fourth in the league. Tiernan had at least two goals in each of the final five games for Temple, including four against #19 Louisville and three against Georgetown. In the summer of 2014, Tiernan was invited to try out for the U.S. Women's National Team.
Temple narrowly missed out on a berth in the four-team BIG EAST Tournament in 2014, finishing in a three-way tie for fourth place but coming up short in a tiebreaker. The Owls went 3-4 in the league and 6-10 overall, but return six of their top eight leading scorers from last season.
Due to a tie in voting, three players shared BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors: Marquette defender Elizabeth Goslee, Georgetown defender Adrianne Devine and Gator defender Caroline Fitzgerald. UF's Shannon Gilroy was voted BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. All four major award winners were unanimous selections to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
Fitzgerald and Gilroy lead a Gator squad which enters its inaugural BIG EAST season ranked No. 3 by Inside Lacrosse's national preseason poll. Florida finished the 2014 campaign with an 18-3 record, advancing to the NCAA Championship Quarterfinals before falling in overtime, and 10 of the starters to play in that game are back in 2015. Gilroy led the nation in goals (86) as Florida won its fourth consecutive American Lacrosse Conference regular-season title and second ALC Tournament crown in three years. Gilroy was a 2014 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) First-Team All-American and Tewaaraton Award finalist, while Fitzgerald was a 2015 Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American (Second Team).
Florida placed a league-best four members on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team as attacker Sammi Burgess and midfielder Nora Barry were also unanimous picks. Burgess was named ALC Rookie of the Year after netting 38 goals and 53 points in 2014, while Barry earned Third Team All-America plaudits last season, leading UF with 43 ground balls.
The 2015 season begins for Temple on Wednesday, Feb. 11 when the Owls host UMBC at 3:00 p.m.Â
BIG EAST Preseason Release
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Players Mentioned
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