CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sophomore forward Sam Fischer has been named Big South Preseason Forward of the Year, the league announced on Thursday.

Longwood was also chosen to finish third in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches. It marks just the third time in history the Lancers were picked in that position. Longwood was also third in 2019 and 2014, respectively.

Fischer becomes just the second Longwood player to earn a major preseason award since the Lancers joined the conference for the 2012 season. Sydney Wallace was Big South Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in 2018.

Fischer, the Big South Freshman of the Year and a first-team all-league pick last season, led the Lancers in goals (seven) and points (16). She was named Freshman of the Week two times and Player of the Week once while playing in all 19 matches with seven starts.

Fischer opened her Longwood career with nine points in her first three matches on four goals and one assist. 

High Point was picked to finish first in the preseason poll with 76 points and seven first-place votes while Radford was slated second with 69 points and one first-place vote. 

The Lancers earned 63 points in the poll to finish ahead of USC Upstate in fourth with 58 points and the remaining first-place nod. Charleston Southern (43 points) was fifth, followed by Winthrop (32) in sixth, UNC Asheville (29) in seventh and Gardner-Webb (22) in eighth. Presbyterian rounded out the voting in ninth place with 13 points.

Longwood is action Saturday at 6 p.m., at Longwood Athletics Complex against William & Mary in exhibition action. The regular season begins Thursday, Aug. 13 at home against Campbell. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., on ESPN+.