MACON, Ga. (1/27/2017) -- Sophomore midfielder Kaitlyn Wandelt (Sayville, N.Y.) was voted the ASUN Women's Lacrosse Preseason Player of the Year and classmate Lexie Kinmond (Peterborough, Ont.) also earned Preseason All-League honors with the league office releasing the preseason awards Friday afternoon.

Detroit Mercy, the only ASUN team to reach all four championship games in the history of ASUN women's lacrosse, was picked to finish fifth in the 11-team conference. The Titans earned 82 total points, just two out of third place in the preseason poll. The preseason honors are voted on by the league's head coaches.

Jacksonville was picked to finish first with 111 points and split the first-place votes with second-place Old Dominion (104 points), with each school earning five first-place votes. Furman (84 points) and league-newcomer Coastal Carolina (83 points) were next in the poll, followed by the Titans in fifth.

Wandelt and Kinmond were the only two sophomores named to the ASUN Preseason All-League Team. Junior defender Lauren Webley (Whitby, Ont.) also earned the fan-voted ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honor after receiving the most votes in a poll through the ASUN Conference's Facebook page.

Wandelt, the 2016 ASUN Freshman of the Year and First Team All-ASUN honoree, earned Preseason Player of the Year honors after a freshman season in which she led all freshmen nationally in six different NCAA statistical categories. Wandelt led the ASUN in draw controls (73) and free-position goals (19) in 2016, while ranking second in goals (64), points (75), ground balls (48), caused turnovers (30), shots (122) and shots on goal (90). In eight league games last season, Wandelt led the conference with 33 goals.

Kinmond was a unanimous ASUN All-Freshman Team selection in 2016, who ranked second on the Titans and fourth in the ASUN with 64 points. She tallied 41 goals and 23 assists, with her 23 helpers leading the squad and ranking fifth in the conference. Kinmond finished third in the ASUN with 13 free-position goals and led all NCAA Division I freshmen and was fifth in the nation in free-position percentage (65.0) during her rookie season. In eight league games last year, Kinmond had 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points.

The Titans selected season co-captains in senior Kelsi Pritchard, juniors Emma Mucci and Lauren Webley earlier this month and are busy preparing for the 2017 season. Detroit Mercy opens its ninth season and first under head coach Laurie Merian in just over two weeks on Feb. 11 at Notre Dame.

2017 ASUN Conference Lacrosse Preseason Award & Honors
GK Haleigh Wurzel, Mercer, Jr.
D Samantha Eckels, Furman, Sr.
D Erika Brager, Jacksonville, Sr.
D Kristin Ridenour, Jacksonville, Sr.
M Kaitlyn Wandelt, Detroit Mercy, So.
M Devon Horine, Furman, Sr.
M Ashtyn Hiron, Jacksonville, Jr.
M Lindsey Zeltwanger, Mercer, Jr.
M Connor Carson, Old Dominion, Sr.
A Lexie Kinmond, Detroit Mercy, So.
A Paige Gamble, Furman, Sr.
A Danielle Della Rocca, Jacksonville, Sr.

Player of the Year: Kaitlyn Wandelt, Detroit Mercy
Defensive Player of the Year: Samantha Eckels, Furman

Fan-Voted Player of the Year: Jocelyne Lemay, Central Michigan
Fan-Voted Defensive Player of the Year: Lauren Webley, Detroit Mercy

2017 ASUN Conference Lacrosse Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes)
1. Jacksonville -- 111 (5)
2. Old Dominion -- 104 (5)
3. Furman -- 84
4. Coastal Carolina -- 83
5. Detroit Mercy -- 82
6. Mercer -- 65
7. Kennesaw State -- 57
8. Central Michigan -- 54
9. Stetson -- 47
10. Delaware State -- 20
11. Howard -- 19