Preseason Top 10

[InsiderRoll]

Had heard Nestor may transfer to join his dad and brother but he and Quinn, 3rd pole, both in workforce.
Darminio at Jacksonville.
All other starters return. Big hopes on the hilltop although Darminio is hard to replace.

Lynchburg going to be the cream of the crop in the ODAC. Predicting a deep run from the boys in RED

A closer look says they really had to rely on Hadley in every game last year. Hadley was at 50% or below in 6 games last year, they lost every one of them. Here he is against “competitive team” wins.

Cabrini W 11-7 - 20svs - 74.1%
Stevenson W 12-8 - 17svs - 68%
F&M W 13-12 - 14svs - 53.8%
W&L W 14-13 - 23svs - 63.9%
Roanoke W 14-11 - 13svs - 54.1%
HSC W 14-2 - 13svs - 86.1%
Roanoke W 12-10 - 17svs - 63%
STJF W 11-10 - 18svs - 64.3%
Denison W 14-8 - 11svs - 61.1%

If they played a strong team and he didn’t stand on his head… they lost. He stood on his head against Salisbury but it was not enough.

Losses:

Salisbury L 16-15 - 22svs - 57.9%
Tufts L 19-4 - 17svs - 50%
SLU L 14-5 - 7svs - 35%
CNU L 14-13 - 9svs - 39.1%
RMU L 13-9 - 7svs - 35%
W&L L 12-11 - 12svs - 50%
Tufts L 17-9 - 16svs - 48.1%

In these 16 games against quality opponents they only outshot their opponent in 6 games. RMC, W&L 2nd Game, CNU (best game of the year) STJF, Denison, and HSC. They were out GBd in 10 of the 16 games.

So, will they be as reliant on Hadley to keep them in games in 2024? Can he turn in as dominant of a year this upcoming season? Does a young offense maturing ease the burden off of Hadley? All questions that time will tell.

[RE6ULATOR]

Had heard Nestor may transfer to join his dad and brother but he and Quinn, 3rd pole, both in workforce.
Darminio at Jacksonville.
All other starters return. Big hopes on the hilltop although Darminio is hard to replace.

Lynchburg going to be the cream of the crop in the ODAC. Predicting a deep run from the boys in RED

Yes, Darminio leaves behind some big shoes to fill, but they return a lot across the board. A year more of experience for that youth too. Looks to be a promising year coming up.

W&L on the other hand losses; 14 players who represent over 33% of their points, roughly a third of their starters (3 players who started the whole year and one who started about half), their 4 captains, their top 2 LSMs, their lock down D man, two second team AA, 1 HM AA, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Can they find an LSM(s) to replicate the previous duos’ success in the middle of the field? Who will step up to be the new defensive lock down guy? That along with the attack unit likely seeing top shut down defensemen previously occupied with Pokorny. Lots of questions for the Generals.

[InsiderRoll]

Had heard Nestor may transfer to join his dad and brother but he and Quinn, 3rd pole, both in workforce.
Darminio at Jacksonville.
All other starters return. Big hopes on the hilltop although Darminio is hard to replace.

Lynchburg going to be the cream of the crop in the ODAC. Predicting a deep run from the boys in RED

Yes, Darminio leaves behind some big shoes to fill, but they return a lot across the board. A year more of experience for that youth too. Looks to be a promising year coming up.

W&L on the other hand losses; 14 players who represent over 33% of their points, roughly a third of their starters (3 players who started the whole year and one who started about half), their 4 captains, their top 2 LSMs, their lock down D man, two second team AA, 1 HM AA, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Can they find an LSM(s) to replicate the previous duos’ success in the middle of the field? Who will step up to be the new defensive lock down guy? That along with the attack unit likely seeing top shut down defensemen previously occupied with Pokorny. Lots of questions for the Generals.

Plenty to replace. But let’s get things straight…

Burns drew the top defenseman every game not Pokorny. Burns was also the focal point of every teams gameplan, not Pokorny. They return 7 of their top 10 scorers. 5 of their top 6 offensive starters.

2nd LSM was a sophomore, Brian Barringer, he had one less GB than Lackey as a backup (66). Still there for another 2 years. They also return what is possibly the best short stick tandem in the country, both sophomores in 2024.

Defense has some holes to fill but W&L has played pretty good defense for a long long time. Alex Kelly, one of the starting defenseman referenced saw his playing time substantially reduced to a freshman Chris Datz over the course of the season. And while he started every game, Datz the freshman played more and was in for critical moments by the end of the season.

HUGE question marks in the goal, they had really poor goalie play the 1st half of the year in 2023 and figured it out over time, they need to figure it out sooner.

Face offs were a big problem against good teams despite them returning an all American. However the same can be said for Lynchburg, both of the ODAC “All-American” face-off guys got shredded by just about every decent non conference guy they faced and then feasted on a bad ODAC FO group.

Of the 14 seniors they graduate, only 5 of them were starters. Seeds (G), Hubbard (D), Lackey (LSM), Kelly (D), Pokorny (A) - only 2 of those players had ever started a game prior to their senior year. They do lose captains (like pretty much every single team in the country… oh yeah except for the ones that can take advantage of never ending eligibility). But they also had a junior captain Leif Smith who returns as a senior. While he is an only a role player he was a major locker room leader for that team, commands a room like his Navy Seal father.

If anyone looked at Dickinson in 2022 and thought they would be good in 2023 on paper… then you’d have to say something similar about W&L. They return an almost identical amount of points, starters, All-Americans as Dickinson did last year and had the same level of success in the prior season.

Both Lynchburg and W&L should be poised for strong seasons - and why wouldn’t they be neck and neck? The last 3 games have all been decided by 1 goal and comedown to the final play. Since COVID the series is 3-3. W&L holds a slight advantage in the last 10 meetings 6-4. In the last 10 years the series is 10-9 in favor of W&L. Aside from a brief period where Lynchburg achieved higher national success (almost a decade ago) these two programs have stayed on relatively equal footing. This is one of the best and most competitively even high level rivalries in D3 lacrosse. Neither one of these two teams like each other - and the student bodies of each could not be more different. It truly is a fun and unique rivalry.

[Low2high22]

Taking a stab at top 20. I know there might be some hot takes but basing it off how the end of the year went for teams and what they are returning

1.) Salisbury
2.) CNU
3.) RIT
4.) Tufts
5.) Dickinson
6.) Middlebury
7.) Bowdoin
8.) W&L
9.) York
10.) Lynchburg
11.) Union
12.) Amherst
13.) Gettysburg
14.) Denison
15.) F&M
16.)Williams
17.) RPI
18.) Swarthmore
19.) SLU
20.) Wesleyan

[MVPiccoli]

Taking a stab at top 20. I know there might be some hot takes but basing it off how the end of the year went for teams and what they are returning

1.) Salisbury
2.) CNU
3.) RIT
4.) Tufts
5.) Dickinson
6.) Middlebury
7.) Bowdoin
8.) W&L
9.) York
10.) Lynchburg
11.) Union
12.) Amherst
13.) Gettysburg
14.) Denison
15.) F&M
16.)Williams
17.) RPI
18.) Swarthmore
19.) SLU
20.) Wesleyan

I was feeling nostalgic and hit the waybackmachine for the 2003 laxpower top 20: https://web.archive.org/web/20030608203 ... /ccr03.php

Gulls. Omnipotent Gulls.

We (Cavs of the Cabrini variety) were #46. Back to whence we came I suppose.

[GoTerriers8]

I like all this other than F&M. Believe the missed theuir conference tournement, and lost their best player to OSU.

[Duckdad]

Taking a stab at top 20. I know there might be some hot takes but basing it off how the end of the year went for teams and what they are returning

1.) Salisbury
2.) CNU
3.) RIT
4.) Tufts
5.) Dickinson
6.) Middlebury
7.) Bowdoin
8.) W&L
9.) York
10.) Lynchburg
11.) Union
12.) Amherst
13.) Gettysburg
14.) Denison
15.) F&M
16.)Williams
17.) RPI
18.) Swarthmore
19.) SLU
20.) Wesleyan

Not sure if on purpose but I would like to suggest Stevens in the top 20 maybe even top 10 after the 3rd round battle with Dickinson (albeit a loss), returning almost everyone, and also adding some D1 grad transfers. Just suggesting that they may deserve some more considerations. Thank you, DD

[Low2high22]

Taking a stab at top 20. I know there might be some hot takes but basing it off how the end of the year went for teams and what they are returning

1.) Salisbury
2.) CNU
3.) RIT
4.) Tufts
5.) Dickinson
6.) Middlebury
7.) Bowdoin
8.) W&L
9.) York
10.) Lynchburg
11.) Union
12.) Amherst
13.) Gettysburg
14.) Denison
15.) F&M
16.)Williams
17.) RPI
18.) Swarthmore
19.) SLU
20.) Wesleyan

Not sure if on purpose but I would like to suggest Stevens in the top 20 maybe even top 10 after the 3rd round battle with Dickinson (albeit a loss), returning almost everyone, and also adding some D1 grad transfers. Just suggesting that they may deserve some more considerations. Thank you, DD

I like that take. I imagine they will find themselves in the conversation regardless because they walk right through there league each year. I wonder how they will fair out of conference this year and how impactful those transfers will be.

[laxdad1434]

Taking a stab at top 20. I know there might be some hot takes but basing it off how the end of the year went for teams and what they are returning

1.) Salisbury
2.) CNU
3.) RIT
4.) Tufts
5.) Dickinson
6.) Middlebury
7.) Bowdoin
8.) W&L
9.) York
10.) Lynchburg
11.) Union
12.) Amherst
13.) Gettysburg
14.) Denison
15.) F&M
16.)Williams
17.) RPI
18.) Swarthmore
19.) SLU
20.) Wesleyan

Not sure if on purpose but I would like to suggest Stevens in the top 20 maybe even top 10 after the 3rd round battle with Dickinson (albeit a loss), returning almost everyone, and also adding some D1 grad transfers. Just suggesting that they may deserve some more considerations. Thank you, DD

I like that take. I imagine they will find themselves in the conversation regardless because they walk right through there league each year. I wonder how they will fair out of conference this year and how impactful those transfers will be.

It would be nice if all the NJ D3 schools played each other. Stevens having to go through Kean, MSU, Stockton would be interesting.

[Devil4Life]

Taking a stab at top 20. I know there might be some hot takes but basing it off how the end of the year went for teams and what they are returning

1.) Salisbury
2.) CNU
3.) RIT
4.) Tufts
5.) Dickinson
6.) Middlebury
7.) Bowdoin
8.) W&L
9.) York
10.) Lynchburg
11.) Union
12.) Amherst
13.) Gettysburg
14.) Denison
15.) F&M
16.)Williams
17.) RPI
18.) Swarthmore
19.) SLU
20.) Wesleyan

Not sure if on purpose but I would like to suggest Stevens in the top 20 maybe even top 10 after the 3rd round battle with Dickinson (albeit a loss), returning almost everyone, and also adding some D1 grad transfers. Just suggesting that they may deserve some more considerations. Thank you, DD

Agree

[JPAtlantic]

IL Rankings out:
Rank Team Points
1 Salisbury (0 - 0) 20 (1)
2 Tufts (0 - 0) 19
3 Christopher Newport (0 - 0) 18
4 RIT (0 - 0) 17
5 Dickinson (0 - 0) 16
6 Bowdoin (0 - 0) 15
7 Washington and Lee (0 - 0) 14
8 Middlebury (0 - 0) 13
9 Gettysburg (0 - 0) 12
10 Lynchburg (0 - 0) 11
11 York (0 - 0) 10
12 Union (0 - 0) 9
13 Amherst (0 - 0) 8
14 Swarthmore (0 - 0) 7
15 RPI (0 - 0) 6
16 St. Lawrence (0 - 0) 5
17 Stevens (0 - 0) 4
18 Denison (0 - 0) 3
19 Cabrini (0 - 0) 2
20 Babson (0 - 0) 1

[Laxattackjack]

IL Rankings out:
Rank Team Points
1 Salisbury (0 - 0) 20 (1)
2 Tufts (0 - 0) 19
3 Christopher Newport (0 - 0) 18
4 RIT (0 - 0) 17
5 Dickinson (0 - 0) 16
6 Bowdoin (0 - 0) 15
7 Washington and Lee (0 - 0) 14
8 Middlebury (0 - 0) 13
9 Gettysburg (0 - 0) 12
10 Lynchburg (0 - 0) 11
11 York (0 - 0) 10
12 Union (0 - 0) 9
13 Amherst (0 - 0) 8
14 Swarthmore (0 - 0) 7
15 RPI (0 - 0) 6
16 St. Lawrence (0 - 0) 5
17 Stevens (0 - 0) 4
18 Denison (0 - 0) 3
19 Cabrini (0 - 0) 2
20 Babson (0 - 0) 1

Top 4 makes sense. Seems like the rest are just there from the end of last season. Too many changes since spring to have the same ranking.

[BigMoose9]

IL Rankings out:
Rank Team Points
1 Salisbury (0 - 0) 20 (1)
2 Tufts (0 - 0) 19
3 Christopher Newport (0 - 0) 18
4 RIT (0 - 0) 17
5 Dickinson (0 - 0) 16
6 Bowdoin (0 - 0) 15
7 Washington and Lee (0 - 0) 14
8 Middlebury (0 - 0) 13
9 Gettysburg (0 - 0) 12
10 Lynchburg (0 - 0) 11
11 York (0 - 0) 10
12 Union (0 - 0) 9
13 Amherst (0 - 0) 8
14 Swarthmore (0 - 0) 7
15 RPI (0 - 0) 6
16 St. Lawrence (0 - 0) 5
17 Stevens (0 - 0) 4
18 Denison (0 - 0) 3
19 Cabrini (0 - 0) 2
20 Babson (0 - 0) 1

Feel like this is a pretty good base as to where we expect the teams will finish at end of season. Hard to tell exactly when teams don’t have their rosters posted and there haven’t been any scrimmages yet. Would’ve thought Lynchburg would be a few spots higher with what they are returning. That being said, it’s just preseason rankings and is really only rat poison for teams.

[JPAtlantic]

IL Rankings out:
Rank Team Points
1 Salisbury (0 - 0) 20 (1)
2 Tufts (0 - 0) 19
3 Christopher Newport (0 - 0) 18
4 RIT (0 - 0) 17
5 Dickinson (0 - 0) 16
6 Bowdoin (0 - 0) 15
7 Washington and Lee (0 - 0) 14
8 Middlebury (0 - 0) 13
9 Gettysburg (0 - 0) 12
10 Lynchburg (0 - 0) 11
11 York (0 - 0) 10
12 Union (0 - 0) 9
13 Amherst (0 - 0) 8
14 Swarthmore (0 - 0) 7
15 RPI (0 - 0) 6
16 St. Lawrence (0 - 0) 5
17 Stevens (0 - 0) 4
18 Denison (0 - 0) 3
19 Cabrini (0 - 0) 2
20 Babson (0 - 0) 1

Top 4 makes sense. Seems like the rest are just there from the end of last season. Too many changes since spring to have the same ranking.

True - The only team that appeared in the top 20 preseason, that was not in the Top 20 final last year is RPI. The team that dropped out is Williams.

The top 5 are identical from the end of '23. Minor shifts in the others:

Rank Change since end of '23
1 Salisbury same
2 Tufts same
3 Christopher Newport same
4 RIT same
5 Dickinson same
6 Bowdoin +6 (Biggest Jump)
7 Washington and Lee +1
8 Middlebury -2
9 Gettysburg +1
10 Lynchburg -1
11 York same
12 Union +2
13 Amherst -6 (Biggest Drop)
14 Swarthmore +3
15 RPI +6 (Biggest Jump - Not ranked at end of '23)
16 St. Lawrence -3
17 Stevens +2
18 Denison -5 (2nd biggest drop)
19 Cabrini -3
20 Babson same

[Dehuntshigwa’es]

Lynchburg is better than a 10 ranking maybe top 5. All in on Bowdoin 7 of their 8 top scorers return, 60% fogo is back as well . Big question mark is 50% in the cage . Taking CNU to win it all. Riding their coattails for the past 2 years. This year they get it done

[Dehuntshigwa’es]

Lynchburg is better than a 10 ranking maybe top 5. All in on Bowdoin 7 of their 8 top scorers return, 60% fogo is back as well . Big question mark is 50% in the cage . Taking CNU to win it all. Riding their coattails for the past 2 years. This year they get it done. I’m all in on W&L being a top 10 team if the goalie is at 57% or better and they do 60% on face offs . They were in the Salisbury game but were 6 out of 24 draws absolutely terrible. They could even make it into a 50/50 ball, no answers. Need to solve those 2 questions to be top ten and beat the very top teams

[Laxattackjack]

I agree that Lynchburg should be higher.
I think W&L and Middlebury are too high.
Bowdoin could be solid this year. No roster posted yet, but it looks like not many seniors from last year were key contributors. Unless something is messed up, the top 10 points were all from underclass, so I assume they all return.

[Chipzhoo]

I agree that Lynchburg should be higher.
I think W&L and Middlebury are too high.
Bowdoin could be solid this year. No roster posted yet, but it looks like not many seniors from last year were key contributors. Unless something is messed up, the top 10 points were all from underclass, so I assume they all return.

Check W&L and Midd rosters. Sophomores --> Juniors with good frosh additions. They will both be strong this year.

[Laxattackjack]

I agree that Lynchburg should be higher.
I think W&L and Middlebury are too high.
Bowdoin could be solid this year. No roster posted yet, but it looks like not many seniors from last year were key contributors. Unless something is messed up, the top 10 points were all from underclass, so I assume they all return.

Check W&L and Midd rosters. Sophomores --> Juniors with good frosh additions. They will both be strong this year.

Middlebury struggled to beat SMCM in the tourney. They are a top 20 team, but not top 10
W&L in a similar boat

Obviously, my opions. But I say Lynchburg runs away with the ODAC

[Slim]

don't sleep on SMCM. Go Hawks!