LOUDONVILLE, NY – As a new season dawns for Siena Women's Lacrosse, the Saints welcome in 12-game winner from a year ago and the defending America East champions Binghamton on Saturday for a 11 a.m. first draw.  

The game has been moved to RPI's ECAV Stadium in Troy due to field conditions.  

The Saints won a program-record 13 games last season and have reached at least the MAAC Semifinals in five consecutive completed seasons under coach Danielle Schwan-Tetreault.

Siena, projected second in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, had all three of its captains chosen for the All-MAAC Preseason Team. The 13-member team included senior attackers Grace Dobrzynski and Kelly Logue as well as defender Mikayla Cooke.

"I'm really excited," said coach Schwan-Tetreault.

"Grace [Dobrzynski], Kelly [Logue], Olivia Nicholson are all returning on the attacking end. All three of them had fantastic seasons last year. I'm ready for them to step right back into those roles. I know Mikayla Cooke is a fantastic defender, who has been a prime match up defender for us the past few years. She's going to be taken that on again this year."

As for the Bearcats (0-2), it was chosen as the favorites to take the America East once again in their Preseason Coaches Poll under head coach Stephanie Allen.

Binghamton also won the most games in its program's 23-year history, defeating UAlbany for the first time and went on to appear in the NCAA Tournament against No. 6 Yale while claiming its first share of the conference regular season title. 

Binghamton had four players on the America East Preseason All-Conference Team including attackers Emma Blloshmi, and Olivia Muscolino, midfielders Abigail Carroll and Angelina Suau.

The Saints have enjoyed a decisive 31-8 home record during the 2020's decade (.795 winning percentage), but this will also mark the first of seven straight games to start the season against teams who had a .500 or better mark in 2024. Three of those games are at home while four are on the road. 

The Bearcats hold a slim 7-6 advantage all-time in the series history. Siena will be looking to avenge last season's 15-9 loss to them on the Bearcats home field in Vestal.

The teams were locked at five-all at halftime in that game before Binghamton outscored Siena 10-4 in the second half. Muscolino led Binghamton with three goals while Siena received a pair of goals from Logue.   
  
Siena has 17 returners, but also features nine freshmen as well as one senior transfer from Merrimack in Samantha Spieler.  Binghamton has 23 returners with five seniors and one graduate student. 

Live stats can be followed here and live updates and highlights will be posted through "X" @SienaWLAX.