March 13, 2007

AMHERST, Mass. - After starting the season with a 4-2 record, the UMass women's lacrosse team earned a No. 20 ranking from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association in its weekly poll which was released on Monday. This marks the first time since 1999 that the team has received a national ranking. Under new head coach Alexis Venechanos, the Minutewomen have had a historic start to their season with a win over a ranked team for the first time since 2000, the program's first-ever game in McGuirk Stadium, and now a national ranking. UMass is off for the next six days before heading to face New Hampshire on March 20.

The last time UMass was ranked was during the 1999 season as the Minutewomen were ranked 20th in the preseason and the IWLCA's first poll of the year (March 8).

In 1988 UMass was ranked as high as ninth in the April 17 poll. That season, the Minutewomen were ranked three other times at No. 13 (April 10, April 24, and May 1).

UMass joins No. 14 Richmond as the only two Atlantic 10 teams to be ranked in the weekly poll.

Earlier this season, the Minutewomen defeated then No. 16 Boston University who is now listed as Others Receiving Votes.

Four other opponents on the 2007 schedule are listed in this week's poll: No. 2 Northwestern, No. 9 Dartmouth, No. 14 Richmond, and No. 18 Yale.

For much of the season, UMass has been receiving votes in both the IWLCA Coaches' Poll and the InsideLacrosse.com Media Poll.