CLINTON, S.C. – The preseason preparations have come to a close for the Presbyterian College lacrosse team, kicking off a brand-new slate on Saturday when playing host to the Hatters of Stetson. Bailey Memorial Stadium will serve as the backdrop to tomorrow's 2024 opener, with first draw taking place at 11:00 AM.

Blue Hose head coach Eric Clakeley rolls into year number five with his club picked sixth in the Big South Conference, finishing at six victories last spring (half of which came against league adversaries).

Presbyterian will undergo a bit of a makeover from a personnel standpoint, displaying 13 new players after graduating 10 in 2023. Roughly six starters from that improved squad last year have returned, however, offering up an interesting mix of experienced and younger athletes for PC to embark on a fresh slate with.

Coach Clakeley's unit will square up with Stetson for just the second time over the past eight seasons, hoping to make the most of their lone home contest in the month of February.

 
GAMEDAY INFO – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Presbyterian vs. Stetson | 11:00 AM
WHERE: Bailey Memorial Stadium (Clinton, S.C.)
LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast

 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
 
- After getting the better of the Blue Hose when these programs last locked horns two years back, Stetson carved up an 8-9 resume in 2023 which included a 5-1 sprint through the month of March.

- Head coach Christy Leach has been at the Hatters' helm for a full decade, slumping a hair near the back half of the campaign with a 1-6 mark in ASUN encounters. Due to this late-season slide, Stetson has been selected seventh in the preseason league poll.

- Stetson earned a W in eight of their 10 instances scoring at least 12 goals, winning games as the visiting side against Hartford, Central Connecticut, and Delaware State.

 
BLUE HOSE PREVIEW
 
- Presbyterian is positioned to have another consistent showing as Clakeley hits the half-decade point of his Clinton stint, welcoming back defender Juliana San Lucas and midfielder Abby Edmisten for their respective fifth seasons (not to mention preseason All-Big South member Willow Hammond as a junior).

- The next step for PC in '24 will be protecting home field, held to a 1-6 tab at Bailey Memorial a year ago. The Blue Hose took out the Terriers of Wofford in the SoCon opener last year, kicking off a sequence of three wins in a four-game spurt while also besting Radford and Winthrop away from home.

- Hammond and Edmisten account for one of the most dangerous scoring tandems in the division, responsible for 80 combined goals (40 apiece) and 107 total points last time out for a group that mustered 24 shots per outing and 149 scores overall.

- San Lucas serves as the defense's most embattled player on that end of the field, granted a fifth go-around after fighting through injury complications in 2023. Elsewhere in the defense/midfield area, then-freshman Avery West disrupted opponents' attacks for 15 turnovers while scoring five goals on nine attempts when getting out in transition.

- Naomi Lauderbaugh and newbie Kayleigh Aitken will share goalkeeping duties for PC, the former concocting a huge road victory over Kent State 11 months ago after filling in for the last three quarters, stopping four looks and allowing just three goals in 45 minutes.