FREELAND, Mich. – The Trine University women's lacrosse team has been selected to finish sixth in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) by this year's preseason poll.
The Thunder received votes totaling 27 points. The point totals are determined by votes cast by the league's coaches, who cannot vote for their own team. Calvin College was picked first in the poll with 63 points including seven first-place votes. Hope College with 52 points and Saint Mary's College with 49 points round out the top three each finishing with a first-place vote. Coming in at fourth is Albion College with 47 points.
Last season the team finished with a 5-11 overall record and a 3-5 record in the MIAA. The team finished sixth in the MIAA standings but entered the final weekend of the regular season with a chance to make the MIAA Tournament. The finish marks a two-place improvement over 2017's eighth-place finish. The season's five wins are the most by women's lacrosse since 2013 and also marks a two-win improvement over 2017.
Sophomore Kristin John (South Bend, Ind. / St. Joe's) leads returners in scoring as she enters her second season with the team. Last season she finished in second on the team with 46 points including 38 goals, also second-most on the team.
Lilly Dusek (Zionsville, Ind. / Zionsville) also returns for the Thunder for her junior campaign. Last season she finished with team third-best tallies with 40 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers. She also added seven goals. Sophomore Alexandra Robinson (Meredith, N.H. / Inter Lakes) also returns to the team having finished last season with 17 caused turnovers, second best on the team.
2019 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
| Place | School (First-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | Calvin College (7) | 63 |
| 2. | Hope College (1) | 52 |
| 3. | Saint Mary's College (1) | 49 |
| 4. | Albion College | 47 |
| 5. | Kalamazoo College | 37 |
| 6. | Trine University | 27 |
| 7. | Alma College | 21 |
| 8. | Adrian College | 20 |
| 9. | Olivet College | 8 |