CINCINNATI – Three members of the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team earned recognition from the coaches of the American Athletic Conference today as the league announced its preseason individual awards, all-conference honors and coaches poll. Morgan Dukes was unanimously selected as a member of the AAC Preseason All-Conference team and was joined by fellow Bearcats Monica Borzillo and Kylie Nause.
// TEAM STANDINGS
The coaches vote has Florida entering the season as the favorite to win the conference crown one year removed from winning the regular season and postseason tournament titles. The Gators received 25 points and five first-place votes with UC was second overall with 19 points and the final first-place vote. The Bearcats edged Vanderbilt for the second position as the Commodores received 18 points. The remaining three teams on the list included Temple in fourth (14 points), UConn in fifth (9) and ECU in sixth (5).
// PUTTING UP DUKES
Recognized as one of the top defenders in the league, Dukes was selected unanimously to the 2020 preseason list after earning her first conference accolades last year when she earned AAC All-Conference First Team as well as a selection to the 2019 AAC All-Tournament team. Dukes, one of just four defenders to earn a spot on the preseason ledger, is coming off one of her best seasons with the Bearcats as she broke the single-season record for ground balls with 69 and also caused 27 turnovers, which ranked sixth in a season at UC. Additionally, Dukes was second nationally with an average of 3.63 ground balls per game.
// MIGHT MONICA
Borzillo earned her second selection to the AAC preseason honors list after also being chosen last year. A unanimous selection to the 2019 AAC All-Conference First Team, Borzillo was one of the top offensive threats inside and out of the conference as she set single-season school records for goals (61), hat tricks (12), assists (47), points (108), game-winning goals (4) and free-position goals (14) while guiding UC to its most prolific offensive output in program history. On the national level, the three-time AAC Attacker of the Week finished her junior season ranked #7 in the NCAA for points and was #2 in the nation with her 5.68 points per game average. To add to it, her 47 assists also ranked her #10 in the NCAA last year.
// ROLLING NAUSE
The only sophomore to earn a place on the AAC preseason all-conference list, Nause will look to build off a remarkable freshman season that saw her score 41 goals and add five assists, the most goals and points among any AAC freshman last year. The 2019 AAC Rookie of the Year and a member of the AAC All-Conference First Team, Nause broke UC freshman records for hat tricks (10) and game winning-goals (2) while sitting fifth on the program's single-season goals scoring list. The five-time AAC Freshman of the Week, Nause opened her career with just two goals in the first five games before ripping off 39 goals over the final 14.
// LIFTING THE LID
The 2020 season is nearly ready to get underway as the Bearcats will travel to Kent State for a 3 p.m. game on Friday, February 7, to open the campaign. Two days later, UC will welcome Louisville to Gettler Stadium for a 1 p.m. contest in the Bearcats' home opener.
// FOLLOW US
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsLAX. Head Coach Gina Thomas (Oliver)(@GinaOliverUC) also can be followed on Twitter.
Lacrosse Lands Three on AAC Preseason All-Conference
Three members of the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team earned recognition from the coaches of the American Athletic Conference today as the league announced its preseason individual awards, all-conference honors and coaches poll. Morgan Dukes was unanimously selected as a member of the AAC Preseason All-Conference team and was joined by fellow Bearcats Monica Borzillo and Kylie Nause.
