16 of the best programs over the past 10 years are in the preseason Top 20 and 16 of the best 22 programs over the past 5 years are in the preseason top 20. UConn, Jacksonville, Drexel and Rutgers are the only new comers or non traditional Top 20 programs that are getting some attention due to their performance in 2021. I do not believe any of those teams except Rutgers would have finish in the Top 20 last year if the Ivy's were in action and the BIG 10 played out of conference games.

Conclusion, the game has grown, the athleticism and skills have improved across the board but in the end the majority of the best players tend to go to the traditional Top 20 programs. Going forward I think Clemson will become competitive quickly, Michigan will continue to be a Top 20 program, Dartmouth will continue to push Princeton and Penn and will most likely be the third IVY to consistently be ranked and make the tournament. USC should be back in the Top 20. Drexel did look good last year but they lost their coach so who knows. Not sure what the deal is at Penn State they had a strong freshmen class last year but they lost some players. Has Duke stopped their slide? Will the Blue Devils be back to being a Top 10 Program? Does Maryland get back to the Final Four? Can BC repeat? Will first year Syracuse Coach guide The Orange to The Final Four? Will the Ivy's be rusty after being off for so long? Don't think Stony Brook will be Top 5 at the end of the Season.

Anyone have a dark horse they think will surprise?

Good luck to all.

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION I WOMEN’S PRESEASON TOP 20

​​1. Boston College
2. North Carolina
3. Syracuse
4. Northwestern
5. Stony Brook
6. Maryland
7. Notre Dame
8. Duke
9. Loyola
10. Florida
11. Virginia
12. James Madison
13. Princeton
14. Stanford
15. Denver
16. Rutgers
17. Drexel
18. Jacksonville
19. UConn
20. Penn

Also considered (alphabetical order): Johns Hopkins, Louisville, Michigan, Penn State, Richmond, Temple



Below is cut and paste from previous thread ...

looking back over the past 10 seasons not a lot has changed. There have been a total of 40 programs that have finished the season ranked in the Top 20.

20 programs have finished the season ranked in the Top 20 five times or more over the past 10 seasons. They are:

10 - UNC
10 - Maryland
10 - Boston College
10 - Northwestern
10 - Florida
10 - Virginia
10 - Syracuse
10 - Princeton (actual 9, they did not compete in 2021 but no reason to believe they would not have been top 20)
10 - Penn (see Princeton above :-) )

9 - Stony Brook
9 - Notre Dame

8 - Loyola

7 - Penn State
7 - UMass

6 - Duke
6 - JMU
6 - Denver

5 - Stanford
5 - Dartmouth
5 - Hopkins

Several teams have finished 1 X and some others 2 or 3 times but none are consistently ranked.

Looking at just the past 5 seasons not much has changed...

36 programs have finished the season ranked in the Top 20 over the past 5 years.

22 of those programs have finished in the Top 20 more than once during that 5 years. They are:

5 - UNC
5 - Maryland
5 - Boston College
5 - Northwestern
5 - Florida
5 - Virginia
5 - Syracuse
5 - Princeton (see above)
5 - Penn ( see above)
5 - JMU
5 - Stony Brook

4 - Notre Dame
4 - Loyola
4 - Denver

3 - UMass
3 - Navy
3 - Colorado

3 - Dartmouth (see Penn and Princeton above)

2 - Stanford
2 - Michigan
2 - USC
2 - Duke

Penn State and Hopkins have fallen off a bit while Navy, Colorado, USC and Michigan appear to be on the rise.