Significant Changes in USA Lacrosse D-III Men's Top 20 After Mustang Classic

The Mustang Classic has become one of the highlights of the season in college lacrosse across any division. The best of the best meet in Owings Mills, Md., on the campus of Stevenson University for a battle royale that spans two full days. Maximus Decimus Meridius would be proud, but Russell Crowe would be out of breath just watching.

The rankings were thrown into disarray after those two days. Fair to expect given how many of the top 10 were in attendance. The only two teams who came through the weekend unscathed were RIT and St. Lawrence.

RIT holds onto its No. 2 spot courtesy of wins over Washington and Lee and Tufts, while St. Lawrence climbs in the ranks courtesy of two overtime wins — the first against York and the second against Christopher Newport.

Most teams splitting games over the weekend means it will be a banner week for the transitive property, as just about everyone has now beaten just about everyone else, even if they haven’t actually beaten them.

W&L lost both games at the Mustang Classic and tumbled down the Top 20. Swarthmore also suffered its first defeat of the season, dropping one to Amherst. Bowdoin’s perfect record is no more, as the Polar Bears lost to Endicott, enters the Top 20 on the strength of that win and a 5-1 record. Also entering the poll is Hamilton, which beat Lynchburg at the Classic.

Elsewhere in Division III, Salisbury took care of business against Geneseo to stay perfect and remain the top team. Wesleyan has stayed hot out of the gate and is now 5-0 with wins over Stockton and Williams.

Here’s how it all looks.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION III
MEN’S TOP 20

1. Salisbury, 7-0 (Prev: 1)
2. RIT, 7-0 (Prev: 2)
3. St. Lawrence, 8-0 (Prev: 8)
4. RPI, 8-0 (Prev: 5)
5. Tufts, 4-1 (Prev: 3)
6. Christopher Newport, 6-2 (Prev: 7)
7. Dickinson, 6-1 (Prev: 4)
8. Union, 5-0 (Prev: 9)
9. Gettysburg, 3-2 (Prev: 10)
10. Bowdoin, 4-1 (Prev: 6)
11. Wesleyan, 5-0 (Prev: 13)
12. Amherst, 4-1 (Prev: 17)
13. Swarthmore, 5-1 (Prev: 11)
14. Lynchburg, 3-3 (Prev: 12)
15. Washington and Lee, 4-3 (Prev: 14)
16. Williams, 2-2 (Prev: 18)
17. Babson, 5-2 (Prev: 20)
18. Skidmore, 8-1 (Prev: 15)
19. Endicott, 5-1 (Prev: NR)
20. Hamilton, 3-2 (Prev: NR)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Hampden-Sydney, Middlebury, Randolph-Macon, Roanoke, Stevens, Stevenson, York

HOT

RIT (no change)

The Mustang Classic featured several top 10 teams, all getting a taste of the level of competition they’ll need to beat if they want to play on Memorial Day. With a lineup like that, RIT stood out. They took on W&L and Tufts, arguably the favorites in their respective conferences, and won both games. The margin was convincing in both contests, too, as the Tigers beat the Generals by six and the Jumbos by five. Clifford Gaston notched nine points between the two games, and Alex Zborowski was outstanding in goal. RIT came out to the weekend looking like the best challenger to Salisbury in the nation.

NOT

Washington and Lee (-1)

The Mustang Classic giveth, and the Mustang Classic taketh away. As mentioned, the Generals lost to RIT. Losing to RIT is nothing to be ashamed of, but W&L squandered several chances to take control of the game early. RIT had eight first-quarter turnovers to W&L’s one, and the Generals outshot the Tigers by a wide margin but couldn’t make those opportunities count to build a lead or momentum.

On Saturday, W&L lost to unranked Stevenson. The Generals trailed by four goals in the fourth quarter, and while they went on a run and nearly completed the comeback late, they just didn’t play a clean enough game. They took five penalties in the first quarter, and seven on the day, including an unsportsmanlike conduct foul with 12 seconds left that went to both teams. The Generals can get back on track midweek versus Elmhurst.  

IN

Endicott (No. 19) and Hamilton (No. 20)

We’ve had a weathered eye on Endicott for a while. Since the season started, its most impressive result may have been losing a tight game with Union. Endicott has played well, with the only thing keeping it out of the Top 20 and on the “also considered” list was a lack of a big-time win. This week they got one, beating Bowdoin 17-14.

As for Hamilton, a win over Lynchburg on Saturday helped to recoup some unofficial rankings points after a loss to Tufts the day prior.

OUT

York (was No. 16) and Hampden-Sydney (was No. 19)

York dropped both its Mustang Classic games, to St. Lawrence on Friday and to Dickinson on Saturday. The Spartans’ record now sits at 2-5. The Spartans deserve credit for challenging themselves with one of the toughest schedules in D-III, and their losses are all against teams in the top 10. But tostay ranked, you need to stack some wins.

Hampden-Sydney bows out of the Top 20 despite a 7-2 record and two wins last week. Those seven wins, though, aren’t exactly flashy, so Hampden-Sydney makes way for a team like Hamilton that just notched a big victory.