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2019 Navy women’s lacrosse preview: Midshipmen looking to three-peat in the Patriot League

The Midshipmen lost some offensive firepower, but should be in a position to win the Patriot League again and make another run into the NCAA tournament.

By Mitchell Northam
NCAA Football: Connecticut at Navy Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Navy’s 2018 women’s lacrosse season was anything but a disappointment.

The Midshipmen lost just three games in the regular season, they beat Army, they beat then-No. 11 Virginia, they captured the Patriot League crown and made a run to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.

But can the Midshipmen be better in 2019? Can they three-peat as Patriot League champions? There’s a chance. Navy’s returns a handful of its top scorers and of course, one of the best coaches the game has ever seen, Cindy Timchal.

The road back to the NCAA tournament won’t be easy. Navy starts its season off with a trip to preseason No. 16 Virginia.

Last Season

Navy went 18-4 overall, 8-1 in Patriot League play and 7-1 at home. They won the Patriot League tournament and beat Johns Hopkins and Loyola in the NCAA tournament before losing to Maryland in the quarterfinals.

Jenna and Julia Collins led the Midshipmen in goals-scored, combining for 160. Jenna was eighth in the country in goals per-game with 3.77. Navy had the nation’s third best offense, scoring 17.18 goals per-game.

Key Returners

  • Kelly Larkin, junior, attack – third on the team in goals last season with 62, led the team with 55 assists
  • Andie O’Sullivan, senior, mid – 25 goals, 20 assists, 24 groundballs, 66 draw controls in 2018
  • Marie Valenti, senior, defender – led the team in caused turnovers with 33

Preseason Rankings

  • Inside Lacrosse: 15th
  • Nike/U.S. Lacrosse: 16th
  • IWLCA: 13th

Four Big Games

  • Feb. 9 at Virginia
  • March 2 vs. Florida
  • April 6 at Loyola
  • April 13 vs. Army

Virginia is going to be looking for a little revenge after the Cavaliers lost in Annapolis last year. Beating Florida would be a very big deal for the Midshipmen. Loyola-Navy is always must-watch and should shape the Patriot League picture. And if you’re reading this website, you don’t need why Army-Navy is important explained to you, regardless of sport.

Outlook

Navy’s offense might not be as high-powered this year, but they should stay ranked in the top 20 across all polls this season. They’ll have a chance to build up their resume in non-conference play and should compete for the Patriot League title again.