HARTFORD, Conn., Feb. 23, - The Trinity College women's lacrosse team, coached by Kara Tierney (first season), is ranked seventh in the LaxPower preseason NCAA Division III national power ratings. Laxpower is an internet-based organization that reports on Division III lacrosse.    

Trinity, which was 10-5 and an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England finalist in 1999, received a rating of 79.72. Sixth-ranked Williams College has a rating of 80.21 and No. 1 Middlebury received a rating of 85.90.

Trinity lost four All-Americans to graduation but returns several experienced players. The team will be led by senior captain midfielder Jess Martin (Alexandria, VA), senior defense Kristen Arnold (Longmeadow, MA), senior goalkeeper Kate Derosier (Longmeadow, MA), and junior midfielder Quinn Smith (Concord, NH). 

Martin and Smith will anchor the offensive load this spring. Martin recorded five goals and two assists in 1999 and Smith is Trinity's top returning scorer with 28 goals and four assists last season. Arnold is one of three returning starters on the back line, along with classmate Daphne deDominicis (Newtown Square, PA) and junior Mary Jacobs (Malvern, PA). They will play in front of Derosier, who is already the Bantams' all-time save leader with 551. Derosier also holds the Trinity record for saves in a season with 190 and saves in a game with 28, and posted a 9.78 goals against average last year.

LaxPower Power Ratings Top 10

1. Middlebury

2. College of New Jersey

3. Amherst

4. William Smith

5. Bowdoin

6. Williams

7. Trinity College (CT)

8. Connecticut College

9. Colby

10. St. Mary's