STONY BROOK, N.Y. – With only two months left until the 2023 women's lacrosse season, the Stony Brook women's lacrosse program announced its upcoming schedule that is highlighted by five top 20 ranked opponents, four of which sit within the top 10.
The Seawolves enter the campaign No. 4 in the country, according to the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Preseason Top 20 released on January 3 by USA Lacrosse Magazine. The fourth-place ranking is the highest preseason ranking Stony Brook has received by any publication since being ranked No. 2 in the 2018 preseason polls by Inside Lacrosse and IWLCA.
"One of the toughest parts of my job is putting together our schedule and positioning our team for postseason success," head coach
Joe Spallina said. Entering year 12 with the program, he boasts the highest winning percentage of any active Division I coach at .876 (248-35-0).
"Making the move to the CAA and the non-conference slate we were able to put together puts us exactly where we need to be, now we just have to do our job and win. I love this team and believe it's poised for a heck of a year," coach Spallina added.
Following a scrimmage with Harvard, the Seawolves will open the season at home at LaValle Stadium for the first time since the 2015 campaign. Three of the first five games of the slate will feature top 20 competition, including the season and home opener against No. 18 Michigan on February 17.
Before hitting the road for three in a row, Stony Brook will face-off against Yale at home on February 25. The Seawolves will start March on the West Coast at San Diego State (March 1) with No. 9 Stanford (March 3) following quickly behind which will also be played at San Diego State. No. 5 Northwestern rounds out the three-game road trip for Stony Brook on March 10.
The Seawolves return home to open Colonial Athletic Association play for the first time in program history when they host Delaware on March 18, before another three-game road trip. The trip consists of treks to No. 6 Syracuse (March 22), Elon (March 25), and Johns Hopkins (March 29).
As the calendar turns, Stony Brook will welcome Drexel (April 2) to the Island before heading to New Jersey to face-off against Monmouth (April 7) and No. 7 Rutgers (April 12). The Seawolves return to LaValle Stadium to host William & Mary (April 15) before heading south to Towson (April 22) the following weekend.
The 2023 regular season concludes at LaValle Stadium when Stony Brook takes on Hofstra in the Battle of Long Island Friday, April 28.
The 2023 CAA Championship will take place on May 5 & 7 at Tiger Field in Towson, Md.
The Seawolves are coming off an NCAA Quarterfinal berth a season ago, knocking off Drexel and Rutgers before falling to the eventual national champions No. 1 North Carolina. Coach Spallina has guided the Seawolves to four NCAA Quarterfinals in the last five seasons and eight conference championships over his tenure.
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