PHILADELPHIA - Finally!

The 10th-ranked University of Pennsylvania women's lacrosse team opens up a highly anticipated 2019 season this weekend, making the short trek to Delaware on Saturday, Feb. 16. First draw is scheduled for 1 p.m. 

Series History
The Quakers hold a 10-2 record all-time against the Blue Hens, with the first meeting coming in 1984. Penn has opened its yearly campaign with Delaware each of the last five seasons and is a perfect 5-0 during that stretch. The Red and Blue have not lost to the Blue Hens since 2006, on a six game win streak in the series. 

Season-Opening Success
Penn is 16-3 in season openers under head coach Karin Corbett dating back to 2000. The Quakers have won five straight season opening games on the road, with two games at Delaware included in that stretch. 

High Rankings, High Expectations
The Quakers enter 2019 ranked 10th in the preseason IWLCA poll after finishing 12th in the poll last season. Additionally, Penn started the year No. 7 nationally in the Nike/US Lacrosse Preseason Poll, and has slid up to sixth after the first week of play. The Quakers check in at No. 13 in the Inside Lacrosse top-20. 

Quakers Boast Four Preseason All-Americans 
Four Quakers earned preseason All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse, including a third-team selection from sophomore Zoe Belodeau and honorable mention nods for Gabby Rosenzweig, Erin Barry and Katy Junior. 

Junior to Lead as a Senior
Selected as a captain for the 2019 edition of the Quakers, Katy Junior will bring valuable experience to Penn's backline this season. A two-time All-Ivy selection, Junior has started all 56 games of her career with the Red and Blue and ranked third on the team in both caused turnovers (23) and ground balls (38) last season.

Sophomore Sensation
Zoe Belodeau returns to Penn's attack after boasting one of, if not the most, decorated seasons by a freshman in program history a year ago. Finishing as Penn's first ever freshman first-team All-Ivy selection, Belodeau set the Penn rookie record for points (80), goals (45) and assists (35) in a season, while setting the program record with 103 draw controls on the year. Belodeau recorded at least one point in 18 of Penn's 19 games last year, including a season-high nine points with five goals and four assists against Harvard.

A (Rose)y Disposition
Another key returner on Penn's attack is junior Gabby Rosenzweig, who enters 2019 a year removed from tying Penn's single season points record with 85. A third-team IWLCA All-American, Rosenzweig led both the team and the Ivy League with 36 assists, while ranking second on the squad with 49 goals. 

Barry Impressive
Junior Erin Barry rounds out a potent scoring attack for the Quakers, as Penn returns all three of its top scorers from last season. Tabbed as a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection in 2018, Barry led the team in both goals (51) and ground balls (44), while ranking second with 24 caused turnovers. 

Guarding the Goal
Junior Mikaila Cheeseman returns in the net after starting the final 16 games of the season last year as Penn's goalkeeper. The New York native led the Ivy League with 157 saves, and ranked second in the league with a .450 save percentage.

A Tradition of Success
Penn has won 11 of the last 12 Ivy League championships, including three conference tournament titles, and have advanced to 12-straight NCAA Tournaments, the fifth-longest active streak in the country.

Aye, Aye Captain(s)!
Senior defenders Katy Junior and Lauren O'Mara have been tabbed as captains for the 2019 campaign of Penn women's lacrosse.

Rookie Debut
The Quakers have added 11 freshmen into the fold for the 2019 season, including six midfielders, three attackers, a defender and a goalkeeper. 

Delving Into Delaware
The Blue Hens enter Saturday's contest with one game already under their belt, picking up a 7-4 victory over Temple last weekend in Philadelphia. Delaware was picked to finish fifth in the CAA this season, a year removed from an 8-10 overall record in 2018, including a 3-3 mark in conference. Senior Chantae Simms and junior Mia DeRuggiero were tabbed preseason All-CAA, while Christine Long led the way offensively for the Blue Hens with three goals and an assist at Temple. The Delaware goalkeeper, Kate Brewster, finished with 20 saves against the Owls, the most for a Blue Hen since 2003.