Goalie Lidia Sanza, a returning third-team All-American with a .539 save percentage, anchors the defense for defending national champion Franklin & Marshall.
Second-team All-American Blake Hargest (37 goals, 41 assists last season) returns to spark the Diplomat attack.
The bar has been raised to new heights for Franklin & Marshall's women's lacrosse team.
The Diplomats are coming off of a 21-1 season highlighted by their second NCAA Division III Championship in three years.
So sure, there's pressure and certainly there's high expectations.
But it's nothing F&M isn't used to.
"To be honest, we felt the pressure last season and I don't think it will be any different this year," admitted F&M's second-year coach Lauren Paul. "If anything, people think this is the year they can beat us because we lost a number of starters from last year."
What the Diplomats lost was the best senior class ever in Lancaster.
Jen Pritchard, a three-time first team All-America selection with three NCAA records and six school records, is gone. So too are All-Americans Shannon Summers and Sarah Meisenberg, both first-team selections, and Ashley Bevington, who earned third-team honors.
Not only did the aforementioned players account for 167 goals last season, they ended their four-year tenure with a 76-8 record, three Centennial Conference titles and a pair of NCAA championships.
Those players can't be replaced and Paul isn't looking to do that.
"It's not about replacing them. In the past everyone looked to them for the big play and to make everything happen," Paul explained. "This year it's about spreading the wealth throughout the team."
Back offensively for the Diplomats is Blake Hargest (37 goals, 41 assists), a second team All-American who scored the game-winning goal in F&M's 11-10 overtime win over Salisbury for the NCAA title. Meredith Lussier (57, 16), Cat Serpe (14, 1), whose goal tied the championship game, Lauren Ehrhardt (23, 8) and Laura Ruppersberger (15, 0) are also back on offense.
F&M, ranked first in the nation in Division III entering the season, returns nearly its entire defense from a unit that surrendered just seven goals a game, the third-best in the country.
The two pillars of the defense are Amanda Miceli and Paulette Cutruzzula while the anchor is goalie Lidia Sanza (.539 save percentage), a third-team All-American last year.
"The fact that she has two national championships under her belt and she's a two-year captain is great," Paul said of Sanza.
As for that trophy that sits behind Paul's desk and reads "2009 National Champions," that's the past.
"This trophy is a representation of our accomplishments and the amazing season we had last year," said Paul. "It's separate from anything we're doing moving forward."
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• Elizabethtown is coming off a 16-3 season and MAC Conference runner-up finish. The Blue Jays were 11-0 in their conference last season before losing to Messiah, 6-5, in the finals.
E-town lost eight starters from last season including its top scorers in Katie Foley (84, 31), a third team All-America selection, Kelsea Kozak (29, 41) and Anna Ford (39, 24), and goalie Jenn Hawkins (.547 save percentage).
The Jays return seniors Megan Byrnes (26, 19), Stephanie Kreis (24, 13) and Katie Caprinolo (29, 2) and expect their attack to be the MAC's best with Byrnes, Kreis, Hempfield's Alisha Sangrey (19, 1) and Sarah Cullinan (18, 8).
Conestoga Valley grad and sophomore Katie Scheurich (16, 0) will start at midfield.
E-town spent a part of 2009 in the top 20 rankings and is currently ranked No. 20 by Lacrosse Magazine.
"I am very proud of the No. 20 ranking," said Jays coach Mike Faith. "The girls are motivated to stay in the top 20 but our ultimate goal this season is to win the MAC's."
• Millersville went 2-8 in the PSAC last season and 6-10 overall.
The Marauders lost Kelly Kemper (20, 7) and Laura DeLuca to graduation but return their top three scorers.
Seniors Liz Weekly (44, 23) and Katie DiRico (30, 6), a Hempfield alum, and sophomore Brittany Long (25, 2) are back.
"There is strong team chemistry with a great mix of experience and youth," said MU coach Barb Waltman.
Ashley Mogle, a Conestoga Valley grad, transferred from Elizabethtown after scoring seven goals for the Jays last season. Freshman Brianna Huynh (Hempfield) should see playing time on defense. Huynh was the L-L League Defender of the Year as a junior.
The PSAC is the toughest Division III conference in the nation with four teams in the top 10. Millersville will play No. 6 West Chester twice, No. 9 Stonehill and No. 10 Gannon once.