SPARTANBURG, S.C. (2/1/2019) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse team was voted to finish second in the second season of Southern Conference women's lacrosse and three Titans were selected to the 12-member All-SoCon Preseason Team with the league office releasing the preseason honors on Friday.

Titan captains Morgan Girardi (Watertown, N.Y.), Lexie Kinmond (Peterborough, Ont.) and Kaitlyn Wandelt (Sayville, N.Y.) were each voted to the All-Southern Conference Preseason Team. All three were First Team All-Conference honorees a year ago when Detroit Mercy went 10-8 overall and 4-1 in league play to earn a share of the SoCon regular-season crown.

In the preseason poll, Detroit Mercy received two first-place votes and was just one point off the top spot, earning 20 points. Furman was voted to finish first with 21 points, earning three first-place votes. Central Michigan followed in third with 18 points, followed closely behind by Mercer with 17 points. The preseason poll and team are voted on by the league's head coaches, although they aren't allowed to vote for their own team.

Detroit Mercy's three honorees on the preseason squad was second in the Southern Conference behind Central Michigan, which had five players voted on the team.

Wandelt, the 2018 Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference midfielder a year ago, led the SoCon in several statistical categories last season, including goals (62), goals per game (3.44), points per game (4.61), shots (136) and shots on goal per game (6.06). She also ranked second with 83 points, which tied a single-season school record. She ranks second in school history in draw controls (157), third in career goals (138) and fifth in points (172) in just 44 games entering the 2019 season.

Kinmond, a two-time First Team All-Conference attacker, ranked second in the SoCon last season in assists (39) and assists per game (2.44) and was third in points (68) and points per game (4.25). In league contests, Kinmond was first among all players with 6.75 points per game, tallying 27 points in four games. Kinmond already holds the school record in assists (90), ranking third in school history in total points (203).

Girardi, who was a First Team All-SoCon midfielder in 2018, was third in the Southern Conference in goals (45) and goals per game (2.50) last season, ranking fifth in the league in points per game (3.17). She was second in the SoCon with 11 free-position goals and is No. 2 in school history in free-position goals (39). Girardi ranks fourth in career goals (119) and sixth in points (144) and has started all 55 games in her Titan career.

Detroit Mercy opens its 11th season as a program on the road on Sunday, Feb. 10 at Big Ten foe Ohio State. The Titans play two away from home before hosting Butler on Tuesday, Feb. 19 for their home opener at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac.

2019 SoCon Preseason Coaches Poll (First-Place Votes)
1. Furman (3) -- 21 points
2. Detroit Mercy (2) -- 20
3. Central Michigan -- 18
4. Mercer (1) -- 17
T5. Wofford -- 7
T5. Delaware State -- 7

2019 Preseason All-Southern Conference Team
A -- Natalie Karlen, Central Michigan
A -- Anna Schoonover, Central Michigan
A -- Lexie Kinmond, Detroit Mercy
A -- Abby Shields, Furman
M -- Jocelyn Lemay, Central Michigan
M -- Morgan Girardi, Detroit Mercy
M -- Kaitlyn Wandelt, Detroit Mercy
D -- Logan Halvorson, Central Michigan
D -- Morgan Franklin, Furman
D -- Michaela Lucas, Mercer
D -- Audrey Robertson, Mercer
GK -- Dominique Hamman, Central Michigan