In a preseason interview with The Statesman, Joe Spallina — head coach of the No. 20 Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team — expressed surprise that another team, outside of his own, received a vote as the preseason favorite in the 2025 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll.
Since the Seawolves joined the conference in 2023, this year’s poll marked the first time they were not unanimously picked as the preseason favourites by opposing coaches. Based on the 2023 and 2024 polls — in which Spallina, like all league coaches, was prohibited from voting for his own team and instead voted for Towson — it can be inferred that the No. 21 Drexel Dragons were the team favored to win the CAA this year over Stony Brook by one of the other eight coaches.
Fast forward two and a half months from the poll’s release and the Seawolves and Dragons are set for a high-stakes showdown, with the winner likely securing the top seed and hosting rights for the 2025 CAA Championship. Both teams are undefeated in conference play at 6-0, but Drexel (11-2) holds a better overall win percentage than Stony Brook (11-4). However, the former’s schedule has been objectively lighter, with only one ranked opponent compared to the latter’s three.
The site for the all-important matchup will be Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, the same field where the Seawolves edged out the Dragons in the 2024 CAA Championship title game. Opening draw for the upcoming contest between the two juggernauts is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m.
Stony Brook and Drexel have clearly separated themselves from the rest of the league. While the Tigers were expected to contend with the CAA’s elite, they have fallen short in their two matchups against the Seawolves and Dragons, suffering two losses by a combined -14 differential.
The top two teams in the conference standings dominate on both ends of the field. Stony Brook leads the league in both scoring (15.33 goals per game) and defense (8.96 goals allowed per contest) and is 10th and tied for eighth, respectively, in the nation in both categories. Drexel ranks second in both, averaging 14.08 goals scored and conceding just 9.04 per game.
Both sides are also strong in the draw circle. The Seawolves win 54.5% of their draw attempts, while the Dragons edges slightly ahead at 55.5%. Regarding draw controls per contest, Stony Brook leads the CAA with 14.93 and Drexel is third with 14.38.
When it comes to netminding, the Dragons hold a clear advantage. Drexel goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco — the 2025 CAA Preseason Player of the Year — is rebounding from a slow start and has recently returned to form. She ranks second in the conference in save percentage (.480) — including a .508 mark over her last seven outings — and fourth in saves per game (8.38). On the flip side, goalkeeper Natalia Altebrando — in her first year as the Seawolves’ starting shot stopper — started the season strong but has struggled in recent outings. Over Stony Brook’s last three contests, she has posted a .283 save percentage, dropping her to fourth in the league in overall save percentage (.449). Altebrando is also ninth in the CAA in saves per game (5.50), though that figure is partly a reflection of the Seawolves’ stingy endline. Opponents manage just 15 attempts on the cage per contest against Stony Brook, compared to 17.5 against the Dragons.
All eyes will be on Cuocco come Friday, as the veteran goalkeeper is poised to face a high-volume workload. The Seawolves pace the CAA in shot attempts per game (34.20), with the Dragons not far behind at second with 31.38. Conversely, defender Avery Hines may well be the difference maker for Stony Brook. The conference leader in caused turnovers per contest (3.33) — a figure that also ranks third in the nation — Hines anchors a defensive unit that will test the efficiency of a Drexel offense known for its discipline. The Dragons rank second in the league in turnovers committed per game (13.23), though the Seawolves are nearly as clean, sitting just behind in third (13.47).
While Drexel excels at protecting possession, it is less disruptive on the defensive end compared to Stony Brook. The Dragons rank fifth in the CAA in caused turnovers per contest (8.23), whereas the Seawolves place second with 10.40. However, Drexel is the better team on the ground, leading the conference with 18.92 ground balls per game while the Seawolves are fourth with 17.73.
Stony Brook’s individual depth gives it a decisive edge across every area of the field when compared to the Dragons’. Offensively, the Seawolves boast eight players who have reached double-digits in goals, including attackers Charlotte Wilmoth (51) and Riley McDonald (44); midfielders Isabella Caporuscio (38) and Alexandra Fusco (30); attackers Courtney Maclay (16), Casey Colbert (13) and Haydin Eisfeld (10) along with midfielder Julia Fusco (10). In contrast, Drexel features five players who have reached that scoring mark: attackers Allison Drake (36), Anna Maria Gragnani (36) and Bridget Finley (34), midfielder Kate Quinn (21) alongside attacker Bea Buckley (19).
The league’s goals per game leaderboard further accentuates this attacking depth. Though Gragnani (3.60) ranks second, she is followed closely by Wilmoth (3.40) in third, Drake (3.00) in fourth, McDonald (2.93) in fifth, Finley (2.62) in seventh and Caporuscio (2.53) in ninth. When it comes to distribution, both teams feature elite playmakers. Colbert leads the CAA in assists per contest (2.80) and has 42 total while Buckley sits third with 27 assists and a 2.08 average. Drexel attacker Kate Marano adds further support, ranking eighth with 1.38 assists per game (18 total).
Defensively, Stony Brook once again demonstrates its superiority, fielding five players with 10 or more caused turnovers. Hines leads the way with 50 and is trailed by Caporuscio (27), Alexandra Fusco (13), defender Alexa Constant (13) and midfielder Allie Masera (12). The Dragons counter with just three players in that category: defenders Camryn Ryan (20) and Katie Maloney (19) as well as Quinn (11). In terms of individual rankings, behind Hines, Caporuscio is third in the league in caused turnovers per game (1.80) while Ryan and Maloney hold sixth (1.54) and eighth (1.46), respectively.
On draw controls, the Seawolves hold a slight numerical advantage, with six players in double figures versus Drexel’s five. Midfielder Braeden Siverson leads Stony Brook with 69, followed by Caporuscio (61), Alexandra Fusco (28), midfielder Olivia Schorr (16), Maclay (16) and midfielder Gianna Forte (15). Conversely, Gragnani leads all players participating in Friday’s affair with 70 draw controls, with her support coming by way of Quinn (40), Ryan (34) and midfielders Mary Claire Heubeck (26) and Ellie Wall (11). Gragnani is second in the CAA in draw controls per contest (7.00), Siverson (5.31) is fourth and Caporuscio (4.07) is sixth.
By securing a second victory over a ranked foe in this occasion, the Seawolves not only clinch the top seed and hosting privileges for the 2025 CAA Championship, but also bolster their standing in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
