Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - With the start of the 2017 lacrosse season rapidly approaching, the preseason No. 3/5 Gators are in full swing preparation mode for the program's eighth campaign, which officially kicks off Saturday, Feb. 11, at home in Gainesville against defending national champion No. 1/1 North Carolina.  
 
After winning the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles in 2015 and 2016, Florida will try for a three-peat in 2017. UF's current 11-game conference win streak is the longest such streak in program history.
 
Florida has won six conference titles, four conference tournament titles, made six NCAA Tournament appearances and competed in one Final Four in the program's seven seasons on existence.
 
All those accolades have been achieved under coach Amanda O'Leary, who has guided this program since its inception in 2010.
 
2017 Preseason Tidbits:

• Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-Americans: Taylor Bresnahan (D) – First Team, Caroline Fitzgerald (D) – First Team, Sammi Burgess (A) – Second Team, Lindsey Ronbeck (A) – Third Team, Shayna Pirreca (A) – Honorable Mention
• The Orange and Blue kicked off the spring season with an exhibition against the U.S. Lacrosse National Team Jan. 14 in Bradenton at the IMG Academy as part of the USA Spring Premiere.
• The Gators gave Team USA everything they could handle, using a 7-1 run late in the second half to take the lead; although the effort would fall just short, as the U.S. took the game, 20-19.
• READ: US Lacrosse Magazine's breakdown of the U.S. National Team vs. Florida here.
• WATCH: US Women's National Team vs. Florida - Team USA Spring Premiere (Full Broadcast)  
• Florida Goals: Sammi Burgess 5; Shayna Pirreca 5; Lindsey Ronbeck 4; Mollie Stevens 2; Brianna Harris 1; Caroline Fitzgerald 1; Allie Pavinelli 1

 
Milestone Watch:

• Senior Sammi Burgess needs just 55 points to become the fifth Gator to eclipse 200 career points.
• Burgess has also scored a goal in 24 consecutive games, which is the fourth-longest streak in school history.
• With 36 ground balls this season, senior Caroline Fitzgerald will be Florida's all-time leader in the category.
• Fitzgerald (61), along with senior Taylor Bresnahan (63), are both in line to break the all-time record of 70 caused turnovers held by Shannon Gilroy.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Haley Hicklen has logged 18 consecutive games with at least one save, the fourth-longest streak in program history.

 
2017 Inside Lacrosse Preseason Rankings
1. North Carolina
2. Maryland
3. FLORIDA
4. Stony Brook
5. Penn State
6. USC
7. Syracuse
8. Notre Dame
9. Duke
10. Northwestern
11. Penn
12. Virginia
13. UMass
14. Cornell
15. Stanford
16. Princeton
17. Boston College
18. Johns Hopkins
19. Towson
20. Loyola
 
2017 Nike/Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Poll
1.     North Carolina
2.     Maryland
3.     USC
4.     Stony Brook
5.     FLORIDA
6.     Syracuse
7.     Penn State
8.     Notre Dame
9.     Northwestern
10.  Duke
11.  Stanford
12.  Virginia
13.  Penn
14.  Princeton
15.  Johns Hopkins
16.  Cornell
17.  Towson
18.  Boston College
19.  Louisville
20.  UMass
 
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