PUEBLO, Colo. (Feb. 15, 2019) - The Colorado State University-Pueblo women's lacrosse team will open the 2019 season Saturday, Feb. 16 at No. 22 Colorado Mesa University. Game time for the nonconference matchup is set for 1 p.m. from Grand Junction, Colorado. 

There are 14 returners on the 2019 roster, which includes six student-athletes who started at least nine games a year ago. Seniors Taylor Christensen (M, Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Ane Marie Horton (G, Long Beach, Calif.) are back after earning All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Honorable Mention recognition last year. Junior Ali Doyle (Portland, Ore.) was also listed as an honorable mention last season. 

Christensen, a two-time RMAC honorable mention recipient, Horton and junior Elyse Ingram (M, San Jose, Calif.) are the captains for this season. WATCH what the captains had to say about the 2019 season. 

The ThunderWolves went 4-11 last season with a 3-6 record in conference to finish seventh in the standings. The Pack were pegged to finish eighth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. 

Head Coach Monica Potter is in her fifth season, as the ThunderWolves embark on their fifth year of existence. WATCH what Coach Potter had to say about the 2019 season. 

The Pack lost their top scorer to graduation, but Christensen was second with 42 points (30 G, 12 A) after starting all 15 games. She was also second on the squad in draw controls (55), ground balls (48) and caused turnovers (29). 

The team has three seniors, as Allison Wurscher (Tigard, Ore.) is back to join Christensen and Horton. Wurscher was fourth on the team last season with 27 points, which included 12 goals and 15 assists in 15 starts. Doyle gathered 18 goals to rank fourth on the team, while her 23 points was good for fifth. Ingram got it done on both ends of the field, as she totaled 12 goals and 16 points with 36 ground balls, 17 draw controls and nine caused turnovers.

Back in goal will be Horton, who finished last season ranked fourth in NCAA Division II with 12.8 saves per game, while her 50.0 save percentage was good for 10th nationally. She played in 12 games and started 11. 

As a squad, the ThunderWolves ranked 13th in NCAA Division II in both caused turnovers per game (12.3) and ground balls per game (25.3). Back on defense and one of just three returners who started every game is junior Britney Smith (Oregon City, Ore.). She finished the season with 28 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers. 

It doesn't get easier for the ThunderWolves, as their next game is as nonconference road contest against No. 8 Regis University. The contest is set for Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. The first home contest is set for March 7 at 4 p.m. versus Concordia-St. Paul. 

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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.