We take a crack at breaking down the 2024 Division I women's season ahead of the fall.
www.usalaxmagazine.com
5. SYRACUSE
2023 Record: 18-3 (8-1 ACC)
Last seen: Syracuse led 7-5 entering the fourth quarter against Boston College in the national semifinals. Then the Eagles shut down the Orange offense, which finished 2023 ranked fourth in Division I, sending Syracuse back to the Salt City with an 8-7 loss.
Initial forecast: Tewaaraton finalist Meaghan Tyrrell (55 G, 52 A) and Megan Carney (59 G, 7 A) are gone, but the Orange have enough offensive talent returning in Emma Ward (38 G, 56 A), Emma Tyrrell (52 G, 16 A, 30 DC) and Olivia Adamson (30 G, 21 A, 107 DC) to feel confident that the unit that averaged 16.05 goals per game in 2023 will be just fine. Ward, in particular, is a masterful distributor from X who also has a nose for the net. And Adamson’s prowess in the circle proved crucial when Kate Mashewske sustained an injury.
Delaney Sweitzer returns in net after an All-American performance in 2023 that saw her finish eighth nationally with a 50.5-percent save percentage. Katie Goodale (27 GB, 27 CT), Natalie Smith (13 GB, 12 CT) and Maddy Baxter (17 GB, 13 CT) are among the top returners who should help shore up the defense and midfield.
The big questions are the same as the ones entering the last few years: Can Syracuse stay healthy? Can the Orange win big games in May? The latter is far more within Syracuse’s control than the former. Syracuse will be in the mix for the top spot in the nation’s most competitive conference. Getting over the hump, winning a conference crown and the school’s first national title will mean peaking at the right time and bucking a trend of falling short in the biggest spots.
