Ashland University's lacrosse team is in its first season as a program, and the Eagles looking to become proven in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

GLIAC head coaches have chosen the Eagles to finish ninth in the league in the 2019 GLIAC preseason poll, released Friday (Feb. 15) morning. Ashland is in its inaugural season, along with GLIAC affiliate counterparts Lewis and Maryville.

"With the GLIAC, we're one of three new programs, so I think its going to be a battle of the new programs at the middle of the pack, with the other programs battling it out to be at the top of the table," said Ashland head lacrosse coach Shaun Williamson.

Indianapolis (eight first-place votes) is the expected GLIAC champion, followed by Grand Valley (one first-place vote) in second. No other teams in the GLIAC received a first-place vote.

The Eagles will be directed through the season by Williamson, who is experienced in building programs, as Ashland is the fourth he has done so with.

"We're trying to build a team that is going to be nationally competitive, that wants to compete for conference championships, get ranked, all that fun stuff," said Williamson.

Ashland's inaugural game will be Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. at Ferguson Field against Notre Dame College.

2019 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Women's Lacrosse Poll

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