DENVER – Four University of Denver women's lacrosse players were named Preseason All-Americans by USA Lacrosse Magazine on Wednesday.
 
Fifth-year defenders Sam Thacker and Trinity McPherson were named to the First and Second Teams, senior defender Bryn McCaughey and junior goalkeeper Emelia Bohi were recognized on the Third Team and senior attacker Julia Gilbert was listed as an Honorable Mention.
 
Overall, 73 players were honored by the publication. Denver had the most players among Big East Conference teams and was the sixth-most in the country, as only Northwestern (nine), Boston College (nine), Notre Dame (seven), North Carolina (seven) and Maryland (six) had more.
 
Thacker earned National Defender of the Year honors and postseason first team All-America honors a year ago and was a BIG EAST first team selection last season. The Lutherville, Maryland, native led Denver with 53 caused turnovers during the 2023 campaign while ranking second on the team with 59 ground balls and third with 45 draw controls. Her 53 forced turnovers were the third most in a single season in school history while her 59 ground balls were the seventh-most.
 
A unanimous selection for the second straight season as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year and also a repeat member of the All-Big East First Team, Thacker was selected to both the Big East Championship All-Tournament Team and the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team during postseason play.
 
McPherson earned postseason All-America honors in her first season at DU. The defender led the Pioneers with 61 ground balls, which are tied for the third-most in a campaign in school history and ranked third overall in the NCAA in 2023. She was second on the Pios with 61 draw controls and one of four players in the nation during the 2023 season with at least 50 ground balls and 50 draw controls.
 
The Baltimore, Maryland, native was third on the Pioneers with 37 caused turnovers and added five goals and seven assists—the first points of her career. She was a member of the All-Big East First Team.
 
Bohi led all goalies in the nation in 2023 with 22 wins and a 6.43 goals-against average. The junior was second among all Big East keepers with a .504 save percentage, which ranks ninth overall in the NCAA.
 
McCaughey was second on the squad with 42 caused turnovers and ranked second in the conference by forcing 1.74 turnovers per game. The senior was third on DU with 42 ground balls, and the Leesburg, Virginia, native scored her second career goal on March 13 against Delaware.
 
Gilbert led the Pioneers in scoring with 59 goals and 67 points on the year. The McLean, Virginia, native is also first with eight game-winning markers and tallied 18 times from the free position, tied for the fourth-most in a season in program history. Gilbert scored multiple goals in all 20 games last season, had 13 hat tricks, and her .692 free-position percentage is the fifth-best in the country.

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The Pioneers will open the 2024 season against Louisville on February 9 at 3 p.m. MT at Peter Barton Stadium.

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