MACON, Ga. (1/31/2020) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse team, the two-time defending regular-season Southern Conference co-champions, was voted to finish in fourth place in the SoCon with the league office releasing the 2020 women's lacrosse preseason poll and team on Friday.

The Titans earned 13 votes in the 2020 Preseason SoCon Coaches Poll, which is voted on by the league's head coaches. The defending tournament champions, Mercer, received four of the six first-place votes and picked up 24 points overall to lead all SoCon teams. Furman (20 points) and Central Michigan (19 points) also both received first-place votes in the poll to earn second and third, respectively.

The red, white and blue are entering its second season under head coach Megan Callahan '13 and have earned shares of the Southern Conference regular-season crowns in each of the two seasons of Southern Conference women's lacrosse with the Titans finishing 4-1 in the league in both 2018 and 2019. Detroit Mercy, the first Division I program in the state of Michigan, is embarking on its 12th full season of women's lacrosse overall.

Detroit Mercy opens the season one week from today, on Friday, Feb. 7, traveling to Chicago, Ill. to take on No. 4/3-ranked Northwestern in a 6 p.m. ET contest and 5 p.m. CT in Chicago. The Titans then host Arizona State in their home opener one week later on Friday, Feb. 14 from Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich. Admission for fans in the home opener on Valentine's Day is FREE.

2020 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll
Team (1st-place votes) // Total
1.    Mercer (4) // 24
2.    Furman (1) // 20
3.    Central Michigan (1) // 19
4.    Detroit Mercy // 13
5.    Wofford // 9
6.    Delaware State // 5

2020 Preseason All-Southern Conference Team
A    Natalie Karlen, Central Michigan
A    Hannah Demis, Furman
A    Grace Pollak, Furman
A    Hailey Rhatigan, Mercer
M    Shannon Doyle, Central Michigan
M    Sydney Catts, Furman
M    Catie Snee, Mercer
D    Brianna Hart, Central Michigan 
D    Morgan Franklin, Furman
D    Avery Whitehead, Furman
D    Michaela Lucas, Mercer
GK    Iseabal Cryne, Mercer