ST. PAUL, Minn. – The 2023 Concordia-St. Paul women's lacrosse season opens this weekend at home, with the Golden Bears hosting defending Division II champion #8 Indianapolis on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Concordia Dome at Sea Foam Stadium. It's a quick turnaround for CSP, who then heads to Illinois to face Quincy University on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Opening weekend features a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) opponents, with UIndy predictably picked at the top of the preseason coaches' poll while Quincy was ranked seventh in the seven-team league.
 
Concordia is led by second-year head coach Ali Jennings, the reigning GLIAC Coach of the Year as the CSP women's lacrosse team embarks on its seventh varsity season as a Division II program. Concordia holds a 42-43 all-time record with a 17-22 record in GLIAC play.
 
NON-CONFERENCE
The Golden Bears opening with a pair of GLVC opponents sets the tone for the non-conference schedule, as Concordia will face six of the seven members of the GLVC, beginning with the bookends of the league's preseason poll.
 
On the second weekend of the season, CSP will remain on the road against GLVC play, traveling to the Kansas City, Missouri area to face Rockhurst and Missouri Western State, the second and third-ranked teams in the preseason poll before remaining on the road in GLVC play on February 24 and 26 in the St. Louis area against McKendree (Ill.) and Maryville (Mo.).
 
With six GLVC opponents in the rearview before the end of February hits, Concordia flies south for spring break for road games in Florida at Flagler, Warner University and 10^th-ranked Rollins.
 
"We have a good mix. We stay in the Midwest for some of these games to get some quality non-conference games to really prepare us for the GLIAC, and we also get to take our trip back to Florida to play some top teams there," said Coach Jennings.
 
CSP gets one more home non-conference game in the Concordia Dome on March 14, welcoming the University of Wisconsin-Stout for a final tune-up before league play begins on March 17.
 
Jennings continued, "I truly believe that if you want to be the best, you have to play the best. It can be easy as a coach to build a schedule around getting wins, but I feel that continuing to challenge ourselves is key. It's fun to not only see the GLIAC being so competitive and for our team to be able to play a high level of lacrosse against league competition, but overall the Midwest Region is becoming more competitive and a lot of the powerhouses (in Division II) are starting to come from the Midwest. Lacrosse (in the Midwest) in general keeps getting better, and as a coach who has been around the Midwest for quite a while, to see it keep getting better is really exciting."
 
With a young squad, Jennings believes that facing strong regional Division II competition is vital to the program's growth, "It's important to challenge ourselves so we can see that growth, because I think when you can continuously work on things at a high level, it's going to benefit you that much more."
 
Great Lakes Intercollegiate (GLIAC) play will include competition between four squads in 2023: Concordia, Davenport, Grand Valley State and Northern Michigan with the league's preseason poll expected to be released prior to the start of CSP's 2023 season opener.

GLIAC
The Golden Bears were picked in a second-place tie alongside Northern Michigan, with the Wildcats securing a first-place vote. Each team picked up six points in the poll, with defending league champion Grand Valley State topping the charts with three first place votes and nine points. Davenport was picked fourth with three points.

Last year, GVSU swept the GLIAC regular season with an 8-0 mark while Davenport (5-3), CSP (4-4) and NMU (3-5) were all within a game in the 2-3-4 positions. Upper Iowa (0-8) discontinued its lacrosse program during the 2022-23 academic year and will not compete this spring.

GVSU also won the GLIAC Tournament with a 16-8 win over Davenport in the final after the Panthers snuck past the Golden Bears 14-13 in the semifinals. GVSU cruised to a 23-2 semifinal win over fourth-seed Northern Michigan.
 
PERIOD OF TRANSITION
Last year's Golden Bears weathered one of the toughest schedules in the country, holding up to the challenge with an 8-10 overall record and finishing 4-4 in GLIAC play, including a number of closely contested losses to nationally-ranked opposition.
 
The team had a strong offensive attack, lighting up the opposing crease 227 times in 18 games with 101 assists as nine different players averaged over a point per game with 18-plus points across the board. Of the nine-leading point-scorers, from last year, all but two have graduated from the program including the top-five goal scorers and top-five assisters.
 
"Those seniors were special," remarked Coach Jennings. "Last year, coming in as a new coach right before fall ball, they really helped keep the level of play high and their leadership was important to be successful against a tough schedule."
 
She continued, "What's remarkable is that you can see that through the years, that the hard work paid off for them to get to their senior year to make that kind of impact. The collected experience along the way, and losing that experience will be tough this year."
 
The 2023 Golden Bears return a pair of offensive leaders with experience scoring and setting up goals, four returning players on defense with starting experience and both of its net-minders from a year ago.
 
They'll look to mesh with a roster that includes 12 incoming freshmen to join the 12 returners, "We'll have a lot of 'firsts' this year along with a lot of excitement and with that comes some nerves. Nerves are OK, we'll just be working on managing and balancing them."
 
Jennings continued, "I'm excited even though we're young. We've been working hard on trying to set a good foundation for this year," Jennings exclaimed. "If they trust the process and continue to get better and work for progress over perfection, then there's going to be good things to come with this program. With only one senior on the roster, there will be opportunities for sustained growth that can make an impact that will have a lasting impact on this program."
 
MEET THE BEARS: ATTACK
Concordia's top returner in the attack position is junior Taylor Preece, who was a key offensive reserve on last season's team in her first year in the program after transferring to CSP from Lander. Preece scored 14 goals in 15 games including three starts, adding four assists for 18 points.
 
"Taylor has a great style of play, a quick stick, great stickwork, and shot placement. She sees the field well and her knowledge base and IQ come in handy, taking smart cuts, she can thread the needle with her feeds and will be a key component to our attack," said Coach Jennings.
 
She continued on the position group, "Our attack will see newcomers on the field. They have some decent speed, whether its foot speed or can make opening and spacing opportunities for each other. When they start to connect, they are a good unit to play off of, it's exciting to see them create chemistry. We have a lot of opportunity for growth and also a lot of opportunity to surprise some people this year, too."
 
MEET THE BEARS: MIDFIELD
The midfield position has a mix of returners and newcomers, with Coach Jennings remarking that "They have some good speed to them, they're a quick bunch and versatile players. We have a lot of two-way middies and can see them on both ends playing the two-sided game, which will help them connect on both ends. This position has a lot of potential, the sky is the limit with these guys. If they put their mind to something, they'll accomplish it and take off this year and really make a name for themselves."
 
The group features returner Hailey Hartlage, now a junior with two years of experience on the field. Last year, Hartlage played and started in 17 of the team's 18 games, scoring 18 goals and adding six assists for 24 points. She was second on the team with 44 draw controls and fourth with 28 ground balls while her 19 caused turnovers were second-most on the club.
 
She's played in 27 games with 22 starts in two previous seasons, securing 28 total points.
 
"Hailey started almost every game and played almost every minute last year," said Jennings. "She has the potential to make a huge impact. She's a player who is determined to keep improving and has a growth mindset. She floats into both the defensive and offensive ends and plays both sides well. She has great leadership and I'm excited for her to help guide this young squad and get them up to speed. She was good on the circle for the draw last year and I'm excited to see her get more draw controls off of it."
 
Sophomores Maddie Westberg and Anna Fisher will also feature at the position, with Westberg expected to contribute at both midfield and defense. Westberg played and started all 18 games as a freshman in 2022, picking up 22 ground balls with 16 caused turnovers while Fisher played in 15 games with nine ground balls and nine caused turnovers.
 
MEET THE BEARS: DEFENSE
The position group with the highest volume of experienced returners is the defense, where both goalies bring experience, performance and leadership while the defense returns three players who started at least half of last year's games and another who was a key reserve.
 
"The defense is exciting, they gel well together as a unit and I'm excited to see them compete," said Jennings. We have a good mix. Some fresh faces to bring in, and we have both goalies returning. They bring their knowledge base and have a good connection with the defensive unit."
 
Candace McDole is the lone senior on the squad, a sixth-year senior who spent four seasons at Edinboro, competing as a two-year starter as a freshman and sophomore in 2018 and 2019 before a medical redshirt and a COVID-exemption season prior to transferring to CSP for the 2022 season.
 
In her first year as a Golden Bear, McDole registered a .429 save percentage and 121 saves while playing in 15 games including 12 starts, picking up 46 ground balls and adding nine caused turnovers.
 
"Her experience is key in the cage. She helps us stay in those tight games and helps overall in the guidance of a young team, too, with her experience."
 
Junior Maddy Huebner played in nine games with six starts in the cage last year, holding an 8.44 goals against average with a .420 save percentage and 37 saves on the year. She's played in 17 career games with a career .404 save percentage and 109 saves.
 
"Huebby is a great leader, she's become more vocal in net and can help guide some of these younger girls, too."
 
Jennings added, "I'm excited that we have two quality goalies and whoever is in net can be trusted to get the job done."
 
The defensive tandem playing in front of the cage returns in sophomores Paige Nicklaus and Meghan McGowan with Nicklaus starting 17 games and McGowan starting in nine of the 12 games she appeared in. Nicklaus had 20 ground balls and eight caused turnovers while McGowan had 20 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers.
 
"Defensively, Paige is the heartbeat of the defensive unit. She brings a lot of energy, positivity, hard work and helps younger defenders get up to speed on what it means to be a collegiate defender. Her leadership has been key."
 
Of McGowan, Jennings continued, "Meg gives us both of our low defenders returning, between them and the goalies it's a solid unit that plays well together. Meg is a takeaway defender, good 1-on-1 and making the slides, I'm excited to see her shine in her sophomore season."
 
The group also features Lily Walesheck with nine starts a year ago and 17 games played, picking up 19 ground balls with 11 caused turnovers.