CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Defending Patriot League champion Boston University tops the preseason poll with Anna Heilferty leading the pack for the Terriers as the 2019 Patriot League Women's Soccer Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, after earning Tournament MVP honors in 2018. Colgate senior Mara Consentino was voted 2019 preseason midfielder of the year and Navy senior Alex Jackson earned preseason defender of the year when the League announced preseason honors on Wednesday.

Voting for the All-Patriot League teams, Preseason Offensive, Midfielder and Defender of the Year, and the preseason poll were selected by Patriot League Women's soccer head coaches and sports information directors. They are prohibited from voting for student-athletes on their own team.

Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Anna Heilferty, Boston University, Jr., F
* Heilferty led the Patriot League in shots (37) and shots per game (4.11) as Boston University went undefeated in regular-season conference play in 2018, including the game-winning goal in the Patriot League Championship game against Lehigh
* She led the powerful Terriers' offense in goals (6), assists (6), and points (18) for the 2018 regular season on her way to winning 2018 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, Tournament MVP, and being named to First-Team All-Patriot League and Postseason All-Tournament Team
*Named to the 2019 Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List, which is presented annually to the top men's and women's soccer players of the year in NCAA Division 1

Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year
Mara Cosentino, Colgate, Sr., M
*Cosentino's stellar junior campaign entailed leading Colgate women's soccer in goals (6) and points (13). She scored four game-winning goals on the season to claim 2018 Patriot League Women's Soccer Midfielder of the Year
*Named to the Mac Hermann Watch List for the 2019 Women's Soccer season after being voted to the United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region in 2018
* Garnered First Team All-Patriot League honors in 2017 and 2018, as well as being a three-time academic honor roll member. She also was named to the 2018 Academic All-Patriot League team

Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Alex Jackson, Navy, Sr., D
* The 2018 defensive player of the year, Jackson helped Navy women's soccer finish second in fewest goals-allowed last season in conference play (six goals)
*She nabbed First-Team All-Patriot League recognition in 2018 with four goals, nine points, and one game-winning goal while totaling 1,859 minutes for Navy
*Voted on to the 2019 Patriot League Women's Soccer Preseason All-League Team for her senior year.

Defending Champion Terriers Lead Preseason Coaches' Poll
With 12 first-place votes, 2018 Patriot League Champion Boston University was selected atop the 2019 preseason poll with 154 total points. The Terriers were the top seed in the 2018 postseason tournament after going undefeated in conference play before eventually taking down No. 5 seed Lehigh in the championship game. The Terriers are returning two of their top players in Heilferty and junior defender McKenna Kennedy. Colgate received a half-dozen first-place votes and totaled 146 points. The Raiders are poised for a big season with five student-athletes being named to the preseason All-League team, including Cosentino, the preseason midfielder of the year.

Navy collected two first-place votes and 136 total points and are looking to follow up a strong season from 2018 with three players voted to the 2019 Patriot League Preseason All-League Team, including Jackson. After advancing to the League championship game, Lehigh was selected fourth in the preseason poll with 105 points. Army West Point and Bucknell both captured playoff spots in 2018 and collected 91 points in the preseason poll to tie for fifth. Loyola Maryland (71), Holy Cross (48), American (38), and Lafayette (20) round out the poll.

Patriot League Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Boston University - 154 (12 first-place votes)
2. Colgate - 146 (6)
3. Navy - 136 (2)
4. Lehigh - 105
5. Army West Point - 91
5. Bucknell - 91
7. Loyola Maryland - 71
8. Holy Cross - 48
9. American - 38
10. Lafayette - 20

Colgate Raiders Place Five Student-Athletes on Preseason All-League Team
Cosentino, the preseason midfielder of the year, leads the way among five Colgate Raiders selected for the 2019 Patriot League Preseason All-League Team. Consentino and junior forward Ellis Miller were named 2018 first-team All-League selections while their senior teammates Leah Lewis and Abby Sotomayor were named to the second and third teams, respectively.

Navy had three student-athletes named to the preseason All-League squad with Jackson, senior midfielder Baseley McClaskey and senior midfielder Cadie Higginson. McClaskey and Higginson were both named first-team All-League in 2018.

Boston University had two players, Heilferty and Kennedy, selected to the preseason team. Lehigh senior midfielder Kayla Arestivo and Army West Point junior goalkeeper Sydney Cassalia also made the preseason squad after receiving All-League recognition in 2018.

Patriot League Women's Soccer Preseason All-League Team*
Student-athletes are listed by position; alphabetically by institution
Anna Heilferty, Boston University, Jr., F ^
Ellis Miller, Colgate, Jr., F^
Abby Sotomayor, Colgate, Sr., F ^
Mara Cosentino, Colgate, Sr., M ^
Kayla Arestivo, Lehigh, Sr., M ^
Baseley McClaskey, Navy, Sr., M ^
Cadie Higginson, Navy, Sr., M ^
McKenna Kennedy, Boston University, Jr., D
Leah Lewis, Colgate, Sr., D ^
Dom DeMarco, Colgate, Sr., D
Alex Jackson, Navy, Sr., D ^
Sydney Cassalia, Army West Point, Jr., GK ^
^2018 All-Patriot League Selection
*Due to ties at the midfielder and defender positions, there is no non-specific position player.

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.