2022 Pre Season Top 20

[2laxers]

https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/college/ ... son-top-20

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III MEN’S TOP 20
1. Salisbury
2. RIT
3. Tufts
4. Christopher Newport
5. Lynchburg
6. York
7. Colorado College
8. Franklin & Marshall
9. St. John Fisher
10. Cabrini
11. Stevens
12. SUNY Cortland
13. Williams
14. Illinois Wesleyan
15. Stevenson
16. Centre
17. Denison
18. John Carroll
19. St. Lawrence
20. Wesleyan

Also considered (alphabetical order): Gettysburg, Ithaca, Ohio Wesleyan, Union, Washington and Lee

[Matnum PI]

USA Lacrosse Magazine @USALacrosseMag
NEWS: Salisbury is No. 1 in the @Nike/ @USA_Lacrosse Division III Men's Preseason Top 20.

The Top 5:
1. @SalisburyMLAX
2. @RITMLAX
3. @TuftsLacrosse
4. @CNULacrosse
5. @LynchburgMLAX

https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/college/ ... son-top-20

[LI_Lax14]

Centre?! seriously?

[nevadajoe]

I am all for expanding the interest in newer and up-and-coming programs from mid-range conferences, but it seems like a stretch to include Centre, John Carroll and Illinois Wesleyan in the pre-season Top 20.
I have nothing against any of these teams and they will all end their seasons with excellent win-loss records and earn the championship of their conference. But there will most likely be other teams in other conferences with lesser records that should be considered for a Top 20 list at the end of this season.
As evidenced by last year's tournament results:
John Carroll lost to F & M 16-9
Centre lost to Colorado College 19-6
Illinois Wesleyan lost to Salisbury 30-5
I think that Top 20 teams should be competitive against fellow Top 20 teams.
Again, no shade on these three great programs that are earning their way each season to be respected as major programs.

[UpperCorner]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the D-III tournament in it's current form is a joke... no tournament games should end in 30-1 scores. Lets get the teams in the tournament that belong there... and i believe some of these teams are in their "Top 20" for the simple fact that they made the tournament - whether they belonged there or not...

[ReturnOfTheWAC]

https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/college/ ... son-top-20

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III MEN’S TOP 20
1. Salisbury
2. RIT
3. Tufts
4. Christopher Newport
5. Lynchburg
6. York
7. Colorado College
8. Franklin & Marshall
9. St. John Fisher
10. Cabrini
11. Stevens
12. SUNY Cortland
13. Williams
14. Illinois Wesleyan
15. Stevenson
16. Centre
17. Denison
18. John Carroll
19. St. Lawrence
20. Wesleyan

Also considered (alphabetical order): Gettysburg, Ithaca, Ohio Wesleyan, Union, Washington and Lee

1.Everything seems pretty fair up until #7 Colorado College... way to high for them
2. Stevens at 11 is a bit of a stretch and SUNY Cortland is a high teens team to me.
3. We do not know enough about the NESCAC teams after last years absolute joke situation that their conference put them through to rank them but I know that they are all still better then IW,Centre, JC
4. Im not a believer in Denisons coaching staff at all I think high teens is completely accurate for them especially within the easy confines of the NCAC. They will win it but I do not see them competing vs the big boys.
5. Interested to see how the love for the LL shakes out
6. Not much love for the Centennial, very similar to the NESCAC situation with the pathetic leadership to only play 6 games. That said Dickinson, Ursinus, Muhlenberg are all better then IW,Centre,JC

Pre season poll means absolutely zero but it gives us something to debate

[Laxdds]

https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/college/ ... son-top-20

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III MEN’S TOP 20
1. Salisbury
2. RIT
3. Tufts
4. Christopher Newport
5. Lynchburg
6. York
7. Colorado College
8. Franklin & Marshall
9. St. John Fisher
10. Cabrini
11. Stevens
12. SUNY Cortland
13. Williams
14. Illinois Wesleyan
15. Stevenson
16. Centre
17. Denison
18. John Carroll
19. St. Lawrence
20. Wesleyan

Also considered (alphabetical order): Gettysburg, Ithaca, Ohio Wesleyan, Union, Washington and Lee

1.Everything seems pretty fair up until #7 Colorado College... way to high for them
2. Stevens at 11 is a bit of a stretch and SUNY Cortland is a high teens team to me.
3. We do not know enough about the NESCAC teams after last years absolute joke situation that their conference put them through to rank them but I know that they are all still better then IW,Centre, JC
4. Im not a believer in Denisons coaching staff at all I think high teens is completely accurate for them especially within the easy confines of the NCAC. They will win it but I do not see them competing vs the big boys.
5. Interested to see how the love for the LL shakes out
6. Not much love for the Centennial, very similar to the NESCAC situation with the pathetic leadership to only play 6 games. That said Dickinson, Ursinus, Muhlenberg are all better then IW,Centre,JC

Pre season poll means absolutely zero but it gives us something to debate

Do we know who contructed this poll at usalaxmag? Definitely some interesting selections. We will know how accurate or inaccurate this is around mid March. Unfortunately, some of the teams that may be a bit over ranked may not play a tough enough schedule to dislodge them from their lofty positions if they beat who the should beat. I admit I don't know the schedules for all of these teams but I do know Gettysburg is scheduled to play 5 teams in the top 15 as it shows in this ranking. Let's say they go 3-2 in those 5 games where would you put them?

Yes the Centennial Conference took it on the chin in this poll.....can't wait to get started.

[ReturnOfTheWAC]

https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/college/ ... son-top-20

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III MEN’S TOP 20
1. Salisbury
2. RIT
3. Tufts
4. Christopher Newport
5. Lynchburg
6. York
7. Colorado College
8. Franklin & Marshall
9. St. John Fisher
10. Cabrini
11. Stevens
12. SUNY Cortland
13. Williams
14. Illinois Wesleyan
15. Stevenson
16. Centre
17. Denison
18. John Carroll
19. St. Lawrence
20. Wesleyan

Also considered (alphabetical order): Gettysburg, Ithaca, Ohio Wesleyan, Union, Washington and Lee

1.Everything seems pretty fair up until #7 Colorado College... way to high for them
2. Stevens at 11 is a bit of a stretch and SUNY Cortland is a high teens team to me.
3. We do not know enough about the NESCAC teams after last years absolute joke situation that their conference put them through to rank them but I know that they are all still better then IW,Centre, JC
4. Im not a believer in Denisons coaching staff at all I think high teens is completely accurate for them especially within the easy confines of the NCAC. They will win it but I do not see them competing vs the big boys.
5. Interested to see how the love for the LL shakes out
6. Not much love for the Centennial, very similar to the NESCAC situation with the pathetic leadership to only play 6 games. That said Dickinson, Ursinus, Muhlenberg are all better then IW,Centre,JC

Pre season poll means absolutely zero but it gives us something to debate

Do we know who contructed this poll at usalaxmag? Definitely some interesting selections. We will know how accurate or inaccurate this is around mid March. Unfortunately, some of the teams that may be a bit over ranked may not play a tough enough schedule to dislodge them from their lofty positions if they beat who the should beat. I admit I don't know the schedules for all of these teams but I do know Gettysburg is scheduled to play 5 teams in the top 15 as it shows in this ranking. Let's say they go 3-2 in those 5 games where would you put them?

Yes the Centennial Conference took it on the chin in this poll.....can't wait to get started.

If Gettysburg goes 3-2 they are a 9-12 ranked team but I think they end up going 2-3 which puts them between 15-20

[Asgot]

The fact that Dickinson is not in the top 20 seems crazy to me. I saw them this fall and they are big fast and are going to be tough to handle. I think that York is low and they will wind up higher as they return a lot of offense to go with their entire defense. There are absolutely teams that are too high.

[smoova]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the D-III tournament in it's current form is a joke... no tournament games should end in 30-1 scores. Lets get the teams in the tournament that belong there... and i believe some of these teams are in their "Top 20" for the simple fact that they made the tournament - whether they belonged there or not...

+1

[LaxDad45]

Don’t count out Roanoke!

[Dehuntshigwa’es]

Don’t count out Roanoke!

ODAC only places 1 team, Lynchburg at #5 in the top 20 poll! The conference needs to do better than that, when’s the last time the ODAC polled only 1 team in the top 20 rankings

[DeepPocket]

Just bulletin board material for a lot of teams, that’s all.

[SaltCounty]

Agreed, Deep Pocket.

The group of teams in the Top 5 are right; everyone may see the order differently.
They represent the SCHOOLS who gave their SA's the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
Along with the significant results to back it up.

The teams in 6-20, receiving votes & snubs are very much Bulletin Board material.
Mostly due to the resources, protocols, gaps in rosters, etc. that held them back from doing some of the things 1-5 did.
But it still isn't a great list ...


-Tufts played SJF & York within 6 days. SJF traded blows & leads with Tufts heading into the 4th. York was down 12 playing against the Tufts bench. One team was competitive with Tufts, the other was the opposite. York doesn't need to fall far, but SJF should be ahead of them.

-CC had a great run. But they lost to Lynchburg 23-8. A 15 goal difference should not exist between #5 and #7. CC should be in the 10-20 range.

-Cabrini, Stevens, Cortland, Williams, Denison, SLU & Wesleyan don't have signature wins from 2021 that would suggest they are one of the best 20 teams headed into 22'. But their talent, experience, history etc. make them reasonable choices. IWU & JCU also do not have signature wins from 2021, and they lack all those other aspects. Their ceiling should have been receiving votes.

-Centre should not be 16. But they should be in the discussion with 16-20 as it relates to votes. First NCAA Trip since 2014; beating Rhodes who has been a regular as of late. Then they beat Denison, who many regard as a quality program, in the 1st round. #18-#20 would have been good for them... credit is due to them & their Coaching Staff.

-All the teams receiving votes could be in. They also either have very average Win %'s (IE. Ithaca 6-4) and/or glaring results (IE. Gettysburg loss to Muhlenberg). But they also have it better then some. WNE (10-2) & Endicott (12-2) were stuck in the CCC with loaded Junior, Senior & 5th year classes. Babson had it even worse, with all the cancellations in the NEWMAC schedule. All 3 can compete with the "receiving votes," let alone the Top 20.


It will be fun to see these teams, & the teams left off, prove their worth when games begin.

[JPAtlantic]

Don’t count out Roanoke!

ODAC only places 1 team, Lynchburg at #5 in the top 20 poll! The conference needs to do better than that, when’s the last time the ODAC polled only 1 team in the top 20 rankings

Has Liberty really upped their game enough to have 4 teams in the top 20 (25 with honorable mentions) or are they just basking in RIT's glow. (RIT, St. Lawrence, Ithaca, and Union).

I would still think the NESCAC would be stronger, but they only have 3 teams on the list. (Tufts, Williams, and Wesleyan).

ODAC showing only Lynchburg with W&L as an HM. Hampden Sydney finished last year mentioned on the list, but no luck with that at the start of '22.

For the most part, whoever put the list together just copied the end of last year's list with very minor adjustments (Only Hampden Sydney was kicked off, and those Liberty schools and traditional powers (Gettysburg, Wesleyan) were added.

Let the games begin!!!

[smoova]

I would still think the NESCAC would be stronger, but they only have 3 teams on the list. (Tufts, Williams, and Wesleyan).

Interestingly, the IL pollsters omitted men's NESCAC teams that missed 2021, but included women's teams from those same schools that also missed the season. As mentioned above, this poll appears to have been written by someone who just wanted to get it done, rather than someone who was even passingly familiar with DIII lacrosse.

[Asgot]

I think that Cabrini may be a little high as well, hearing whispers that they may have some issues in the goal. Spoke to someone at their fall scrimmages and they said that Stockton without several starters handled Cabrini. i do not know how many starters were out for Cabrini but since it was the fall I would assume at least a few. but, still that seems to be a telling sign of both Stocktons improvement and Cabrini's struggles.

[ReturnOfTheWAC]

I think this is a pretty fair

1. RIT
2. Salisbury
3. Tufts
4. Lynchburg
5. CNU
6. York
7. Franklin & Marshall
8. St. John Fisher
9. Williams
10. Cabrini
11. Stevens
12. Colorado College
13. Cortland
14. Ursinus
15. Stevenson
16. St Lawrence
17. Denison
18. Wesleyan
19. Gettysburg
20. Ohio Wesleyan
21. Washington and Lee
22. Dickinson
23. Illinois Wesleyan
24. Trinity
25.Union

[BallHunt]

I think this is a pretty fair

1. RIT
2. Salisbury
3. Tufts
4. Lynchburg
5. CNU
6. York
7. Franklin & Marshall
8. St. John Fisher
9. Williams
10. Cabrini
11. Stevens
12. Colorado College
13. Cortland
14. Ursinus
15. Stevenson
16. St Lawrence
17. Denison
18. Wesleyan
19. Gettysburg
20. Wesleyan
21. Washington and Lee
22. Dickinson
23. Illinois Wesleyan
24. Trinity
25.Union

Curious to see how StJ Fisher fares with some good early contests - Cortland, St Lawrence, Ursinus and RIT.

[jerseyman]

I think this is a pretty fair

1. RIT
2. Salisbury
3. Tufts
4. Lynchburg
5. CNU
6. York
7. Franklin & Marshall
8. St. John Fisher
9. Williams
10. Cabrini
11. Stevens
12. Colorado College
13. Cortland
14. Ursinus
15. Stevenson
16. St Lawrence
17. Denison
18. Wesleyan
19. Gettysburg
20. Wesleyan
21. Washington and Lee
22. Dickinson
23. Illinois Wesleyan
24. Trinity
25.Union

18 and 20 are the same school