CANTON, Ga. (January 27, 2025) – Riding a streak of eight-straight conference titles, Rhodes was the overwhelming favorite to add to its total this season, finishing atop the 2025 SAA women’s lacrosse preseason poll.
The Lynx gathered 25 points and five first place votes in the ranking conducted among the SAA’s six head coaches. Centre earned 19 points to come in at No. 2 while Berry and Sewanee (one first place vote) tied for third with 16 points. Oglethorpe (9) and Hendrix (5) rounded out the poll.
2025 SAA Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll:
1. Rhodes - 25 (5)
2. Centre - 19
T3. Berry - 16
T3. Sewanee - 16 (1)
5. Oglethorpe - 9
6. Hendrix – 5
Rhodes ran its SAA winning streak to 43-straight, going 5-0 in conference play and 12-5 overall. They advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. The Lynx won their conference games by an average of 12 a game, scoring 95 goals and allowing just 35. Four All-SAA performers return for head coach Ellison Sherrill, including 2024 SAA Defensive Player of the Year Bari Pinkett.
Centre was runner-up in both the regular season and tournament last season, going 12-4 overall and 4-1 in league play. The Colonels scored 17 goals a game in 2024 and will be led this year by a trio of returning All-SAA honorees, including first team attack Haley Rice.
The second weekend in February will start the SAA women’s lacrosse season with Berry and Oglethorpe both hosting Methodist. Conference play starts on March 22 with Hendrix visiting Centre. The 2025 SAA Tournament first quarterfinals are slated for Friday, April 25 at the two highest seeds with the semifinals set for Sunday, April 27. The highest remaining seed will host the championship on Saturday, May 3.
Fans can follow SAA women’s lacrosse all season long at SAA-Sports.com
SAA Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll History
2024 (No. 1 Rhodes)
2023 (No. 1 Rhodes)
2022 (No. 1 Rhodes)
SAA Women’s Lacrosse Regular Season Champions (Tournament Champion)
2024: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2023: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2022: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2021: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2020: none
2019: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2018: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2017: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2016: BSC/Centre/Rhodes (Rhodes)
2015: Sewanee (Rhodes)
2014: Centre (Sewanee)
2013: Sewanee (Sewanee)