Marquette University Athletics
Women's Lax Opens Home Slate on Friday
2/15/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
| 2018 Marquette Women's Lacrosse - Game 3 | |
| Marquette (0-2, 0-0 BIG EAST) vs, Central Michigan (0-0, 0-0 SoCON) | |
| Date | Friday, Feb. 16 | 3 p.m. CT |
| Location | Valley Dome | Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Stats | Video | | GoMarquette.com (Free) |
| Social Media | @MarquetteWLax  (in-game) | Facebook  |
| Media Materials | Game Notes  |
| Promotions | First 150 fans receive Marquette roll-a-banner |
| 2018 Marquette Women's Lacrosse - Game 4 | |
| Marquette (0-2, 0-0 BIG EAST) vs, Central Michigan (0-0, 0-0 SoCON) | |
| Date | Sunday, Feb. 18 | 12 p.m. CT |
| Location | Valley Dome | Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Stats | Video | | GoMarquette.com (Free) |
| Social Media | @MarquetteWLax (in-game) | Facebook |
| Media Materials | Game Notes |
| Promotions | Postgame youth clinic |
MILWAUKEE -- The Golden Eagles open a three-game homestand at the Valley Dome this weekend, welcoming non-conference foes Central Michigan (Friday) and Kennesaw State (Sunday).
First draw on Friday is set for 3 p.m. Central time, followed by Sunday's start time at noon. Both contests will air live on GoMarquette.com and the CBS SportsLive application with Sunday's broadcast produced by the Marquette Wire, MU's student-run media organization. Live stats will be available through GameTracker.
MU is coming off an 0-2 road trip to begin the season after falling to both No. 22 Johns Hopkins and Louisville last Friday and Sunday, respectively.
The Golden Eagles were led offensively by Grace Gabriel's six goals and 10 draw controls combined during the two games. For her efforts, she was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll this past week. Allison Lane chipped in a combined three goals and 15 draw controls to go along with five ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Marquette defeated both Central Michigan and Kennesaw State in succession a season ago, edging the Chippewas, 12-9, on the road before winning the first-ever meeting with KSU, 20-7, on the road. The 20 goals scored set a school record that was later matched in a win over Villanova at home.
The Golden Eagles are 2-0 all-time vs. Central Michigan, winning the first-ever matchup at Valley Fields, 17-4, back in 2016.
Friday's contest will be the season opener for CMU, which we 7-10 overall last season, including 4-4 away from home. The Chippewas were picked to finish third in the newly formed, six-team Southern Conference.
Kennesaw State finished 2017 with a program record for wins with a mark of 8-9, including 4-6 in the Atlantic Sun Conference, which it was picked to finish fourth in this year.
Following Sunday's contest, the Golden Eagles remain home to face Stetson on Sunday, Feb. 25. First draw is scheduled for noon Central time.
Keep up with the Marquette women's lacrosse program all season long through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteWLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteWLax) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteWLax).
GABRIEL NETS BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS
- Marquette junior Grace Gabriel had an strong opening weekend and received a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for her efforts. The Lancaster, NY, native tallied six goals on the week, including five in the loss to Louisville on Sunday.
- Gabriel, who led the Golden Eagles with single-season record 81 draw controls in 2017, notched 10 draws last weekend. Through two games, she's currently on pace to match last season's impressive goals (41) and draw totals.
NINE HOME GAMES HIGHLIGHT 2018 CAMPAIGN
- Marquette hosts a program-record nine home games this season. That's three more than last year and one more than its previous high of eight back in 2016 when it went 5-3 at Valley Fields.
- The Golden Eagles will hose three games in the month of February alone, taking advantage of its most useful tool, the Valley Dome. Additionally, it will host five BIG EAST opponents, including the league opener vs. Cincinnati (March 18) and the regular season finale, senior day and PanCAN game vs. UConn (April 28).
GOLDEN EAGLES FACE NUMEROUS RANKED OPPONENTS IN 2018
- According to the IWLCA Preseason Top-25 poll, MU faces off against four ranked opponents in 2018, which began with No. 22 Johns Hopkins in the season opener. The Golden Eagles also travel to No. 15 Notre Dame (Feb. 28) and No. 11 Northwestern (March 10). Denver, which visits Milwaukee on April 18, is the only team outside the top-25 currently receiving votes.
- In the new Inside Lacrosse Poll, Johns Hopkins, Louisville, Denver and Temple are all receiving votes, while Florida (No. 3), Northwestern (No. 9) and Notre Dame (No. 16) are all firmly in the Top-20.
DRAW CONTROLS RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
- MU has improved their draw controls average from 8.65 draws per game in 2015 - last in the BIG EAST - to a whopping 14.71 in 2017, which ranked second in the league and 15th in the nation.
- Additionally, the Golden Eagles have boasted the BIG EAST's leader in draws per game in each of the past two seasons. Last season, Grace Gabriel set the Marquette record with 81 total draws and led the league with 5.67 draws per game following a 2016 campaign that saw Allison Lane lead the BIG EAST with 3.43 draws per contest.
FORMER STANDOUT GOSLEE RETURNS TO GUIDE DEFENSE
- Goslee ('16), who will assume defensive coordinator responsibilities, returns to Marquette following a decorated four-year career in which she started all 68 games and left as MU's all-time leader in career caused turnovers. She was a two-time IWLCA All-West/Midwest Region Second Team selection, a three-time All-BIG EAST and BIG EAST All-Academic honoree, a three-time team captain, and four-time team Hustle Award recipient.
MARQUETTE WELCOMES FIRST WISCONSIN RECRUIT IN '18
- For the first time, Marquette welcomes a Wisconsin native to the squad in freshman Nia Polk. The Pleasant Praire, Wis., native was a lacrosse letterwinner at Tremper High School, serving as captain during her final three seasons. She was twice named team defensive MVP. She spent time with numerous lacrosse clubs in the area, such as: Black Lax, MKE Elite, Team Wisconsin and Lakeshore.
GABRIEL UNANIMOUS PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST SELECTION
- Last season's BIG EAST leader in draw controls per game (5.67) was one of eight unanimous selections to the Preseason All-BIG EAST squad. Gabriel tallied a team record 81 draws in 2017 to go along with a career-high 41 goals, which ranked right behind Julianna Shearer's ('17) BIG EAST record of 55 goals scored.
THREE APRIL GAMES GET TV TREATMENT
- With the growth of lacrosse sweeping the nation, the television interest continues to surge. Marquette will have three April games highlighted this season. Spectrum Sports will air two home games with matchups vs. Denver (April 18) and senior day vs. UConn (April 28).
- In addition, the BIG EAST Digital Network via FOX Sports GO will air Marquette's road contest at Georgetown (April 21).
WOMEN'S LAX WINS IWLCA TEAM AWARENESS AWARD
- The Marquette women's lacrosse program was presented the IWLCA-Nike Team Community Awareness Award at the organization's annual 2017 Honors Banquet at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in November.
- The award recognizes outstanding contributions by one team from each division on their campus and in their local community.
- Marquette compiled the most community service hours (671.5) of any Division I women's lacrosse program during the 2016-17 academic year, spanning more than 20 service events such as Al's Run, Stuff the Truck, Turkey Palooza and many PanCAN-related events throughout the Milwaukee community.
MU SUPPORTS PANCREATIC CANCER ACTION NETWORK
- The Golden Eagles have been active supporters of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its fight against pancreatic cancer over the past three years. They will host their fourth annual PanCAN game on Friday, April 28, against UConn at Valley Fields. Since 2013, Marquette Women's Lacrosse has raised over $50,000 toward research and finding a cure.
LANE, GABRIEL, DOBRATZ NAMED 2018 TEAM CAPTAINS
- First-time captains Grace Gabriel and Logan Dobratz join two-time honoree Allison Lane as a the team's leadership trio in 2018. Lane is a two-time All-BIG EAST honoree, while Gabriel was a unanimous first team selection and Third Team All-West/Midwest Region pick in 2017.
GOLDEN EAGLES EARN FOURTH-STRAIGHT IWLCA ACADEMIC HONOR
- For the fourth consecutive year, MU was honored for academic achievement by the IWLCA. The Golden Eagles were one of 99 NCAA Division I programs recognized with the honor - presented to teams that register a collective team grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.
2018 SUMMER CAMP DATES ANNOUNCED
- Head coach Meredith Black, her staff and a select group of qualified coaches and players will host the team's annual summer camp (July 11-13). The options range from day camp for sixth graders and younger to elite overnight opportunities for 7th-12th graders. For more information, visit the team's camp page here: https://marquettesportscamps.com/womenslacrosse/summer-camps.php
NEW AHPRC TO PROVIDE LACROSSE LOCKER ROOMS
- Marquette's seasonal dome over the FieldTurf Revolution 360 surface at Valley Fields provides a climate-controlled practice and game facility for the Golden Eagles during the winter months. The Golden Eagles played all their home games at Valley Fields for the first time in 2016, after making the move in towards campus from Hart Park in Wauwatosa, where they had played during their first three seasons.
- MU will also officially break ground for its new Athletic and Human Performance Research Center at a ceremony Tuesday, March 6, at 11:30 a.m. The event will take place at the project site, located on the southwest corner of West Wells and 12th streets, across from the Al McGuire Center.
The $24 million, 46,000-square-foot AHPRC will be built in phases under a long-term master plan. The first phase will include:
- Space for faculty researchers who work in a wide variety of academic fields.
- Locker rooms and support space for the lacrosse programs and golf team.
- Additional strength and conditioning spaces for the athletic department and a centralized core of laboratories for conducting human performance research.
