CHARLOTTE, N.C. – One of the best defensive players in the division and America at large, senior Avery West of the Presbyterian College lacrosse team has been voted Preseason All-Big South for the second consecutive year.

Announced on Tuesday afternoon by league officials, West will aim to become the second player in Blue Hose history to be named postseason All-Big South for three years in a row. She was a second-team honoree in 2024 and a first-team pick last spring.

One of the most reliable players of any position during the six-year reign of head coach Eric Clakeley, West approaches her senior campaign with just one absence out of 50 playing opportunities.

Presbyterian begins the 2026 season on Sunday, February 8 with a visit to Coastal Carolina. They'll compete at Bailey Memorial Stadium for the next three matches, starting on the 15^th versus Le Moyne.






 
WEST IS BEST

 
- One of only three defenders in the nine-team conference to be voted preseason All-Big South, West caused 35 turnovers during her junior year which ranked 16^th nationally and second in the league.

- She also recovered 44 ground balls last season (21^st in the country), becoming the first PC player in seven years to be chosen for All-Big South first-team recognition.

- A native of Texas, Avery is one of four Blue Hose in program history to be named all-conference in back-to-back seasons. She has scattered 81 caused turnovers in her career, the third-most in the school record book.

- In 2025, West saw 28 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers when facing Big South opponents. She was responsible for at least two takeaways in every conference match last spring, not to mention a non-conference W over Delaware State where she provoked five turnovers.

- West had arguably her finest-ever game in the '25 finale against Wofford, earning career-highs in both ground balls (eight) and caused turnovers (seven). That led to her being named the Big South Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career.

- Those seven takeaways against the Terriers were the most of any Big South player in a single game all season and the fourth-highest total of any player in the country that year. It currently ranks as the second-most among any PC player all-time.

- Avery needs just four more ground balls to hit triple digits for her career, only 24 shy of entering the Presbyterian top five in that department.

- She even landed her first career goal last season in what was eventually a one-point victory at Longwood, the first person to score from either side in the opening quarter.

 
The full list of Preseason All-Big South members can be found below:


 
2026 Preseason All-Big South Team

ATT – Caroline Glus (Mercer)

ATT – Lily Toole (Furman)

ATT – Shannon Smith (High Point)

MF – Ansley Walters (Mercer)

MF – Bella Germani (High Point)

MF – Olivia Graebner (Wofford)

D – Barrett Rowe (Wofford)

D – Julia Dustin (High Point)

D – Avery West (Presbyterian)

GK – Ava Welsh (High Point)

AL – Skylar Hilmer (D, Furman)

AL – Haley Urban (D, High Point)


 
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Caroline Glus (ATT, Mercer)

 
Preseason Midfielder of the Year

Ansley Walters (Mercer)

 
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Barrett Rowe (D, Wofford)