HUDSONVILLE, Mich. -- In a preseason poll of eight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) women's lacrosse coaches, Trine University was tabbed to finish first in the conference after receiving 40 points and one first-place vote.

Hope College was a point off of Trine with three first-place votes and 39 points.  Although both programs received two-first place votes, Saint Mary's College (36 points) edged Albion College (35 points) for the third-place slot.  Calvin University was predicted to finish in fifth place with 28 points.  Alma College (19 points), Kalamazoo College (17 points), and Adrian College (10 points) round out the eight-team preseason poll.

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

Trine concluded the 2022 campaign tied-for-second with both Hope and Saint Mary's.  The Thunder recorded a 5-2 mark in league contests with an overall record of 11-5.  The Trine roster will be headlined by the 2022 MIAA Rookie of the Year, Calista Richmond.  The attacker concluded her first season as the MIAA's leader in assists (36) and was second in the league with 50 points.  Sophomore midfielder Brooke Hoag will also be returning for the Thunder after earning a spot on the All-MIAA Second Team last season.

Hope also earned a 5-2 record in conference competition, while finishing 10-7 overall.  Two 2022 All-MIAA First Team honorees are returning for the Flying Dutch:  senior defender Delaney Kirinovic and junior attacker Elena Salazar.  Salazar finished league play with 30 goals, 66 shots, and 51 shots on goal.

Saint Mary's finished the 2022 regular season with a 5-2 MIAA record and an overall record of 11-7.  The Belles received an automatic bid into the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament after winning the MIAA Tournament.  Saint Mary's will look to 2022 First Team All-MIAA honoree Valentina Rubio in her sophomore season this year.  The defender/midfielder concluded the regular season as the conference leader with 19 caused turnovers.  Senior Erin Dotson will also be back this year following Second Team All-MIAA status last season to become a two-time all-conference recipient.

Albion claimed the MIAA regular-season title following a 6-1 league record (13-4 overall).  First Team All-MIAA senior defender Audrey DeWaters will headline the Brits' roster after causing eight turnovers by conference opponents last year.  Second Team All-MIAA senior midfielders Addie Pastor and Angelina Mendieta will also be returning to the team.

Calvin (4-3 MIAA, 7-8 overall) will look to fifth-year senior midfielder and 2022 First Team All-MIAA honoree Megan Gilbert during the 2023 campaign.  Gilbert finished as the conference leader with 79 draw controls last season.  Senior goalkeeper Jessica Camp will also be returning for the Knights.  Camp earned a spot on the All-MIAA Second Team last year after finishing the regular-season as the conference runner-up in minutes (422:07), goals against (69), goals-against average (9.81), saves (79), and save percentage (.534).

Alma (1-6 MIAA, 10-6 overall) welcomes back 2022 Second Team All-MIAA honorees Kirsten Browne, a sophomore midfielder, and Ava Frederickson, a senior defender.  Kalamazoo's (2-5 MIAA, 8-9 overall) roster will be headlined by 2022 Second Team All-MIAA midfielder Hannah Heeran who is returning for her junior season.  Adrian wrapped up 2022 with a 0-7 mark in league play and an overall record of 4-12.

The first contest between MIAA teams is slated for Wednesday, April 5, with Alma hosting Calvin at 7:00 p.m.  Hope will travel to Saint Mary's on Friday, April 7, at 4:00 p.m. before a Saturday full of conference matchups.

The 2023 MIAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament will begin with the semifinals on Wednesday, May 3, followed by the championship contest on Saturday, May 6.  The winner will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship which will begin May 13-14.