Schumar, Foust named to WLAX Preseason All-BIG EAST Team

NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference announced its annual women's lacrosse preseason poll and all-conference teams Thursday afternoon, a list which included Marquette players Mary Schumar and Lydia Foust.

Schumar and Foust, who each earned all-league first team honors last season, helped the Golden Eagles to a strong campaign which saw them finish second in the BIG EAST, the best finish in program history. Marquette returns nine starters, 26 letterwinners and all six all-BIG EAST honorees from that squad. MU was picked to finish fourth by the league's coaches in the preseason poll.

A senior attacker from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Schumar led the league in assists per game last season with 2.39, and is the conference's top returning player in points per game after averaging 3.72 in 2022. She tied Marquette program records in both assists (43) and points (67) in a season.

Foust, a senior midfielder, makes her second-straight appearance on the preseason all-BIG EAST team after earning first team all-league honors each of the past two seasons and being voted a unanimous selection last year. The Redwood City, California, native totaled 58 points on 40 goals and 18 assists last season, while also posting the fifth-highest free position percentage (.368) in the league.

Denver was picked unanimously to repeat as conference champion, followed by Georgetown and UConn. Behind Marquette, Villanova was picked to finish fifth, then Butler with Xavier picked last in its first year as a program. Denver also has the league's preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Lauren Black, and Defensive Player of the Year, Sam Thacker.

BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Denver (5) 36

2. Georgetown (1) 29

3. Connecticut 26

4. Marquette 21

5. Villanova 18

6. Butler 11

7. Xavier 6

(first-place votes)

BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Lauren Black, Denver, So., A

BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year