Cross Ferrara already has 16 points in Salisbury's 2-0 start.

Small Tweaks in Nike/USA Lacrosse Division III Men's Top 20

February 13, 2023

Dan Arestia and Kyle Devitte

Salisbury Athletics

Most of the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division III Men’s Top 20 hasn’t been in action yet, so movement is limited in this first update of the spring season. The first few games in Division III have produced the expected results.

A team that has a notable early victory is Salisbury, which moves into the No. 2 spot. The Sea Gulls dismantled Berry in their opener and then notched an impressive 18-10 win over Roanoke. Cross Ferrara already has 16 points in two games, and the Gulls’ attack unit has lived up to its billing as one of the best in the nation. Next week, the Gulls host Scranton before embarking on a tough run of games, including two road contests against Gettysburg and Lynchburg. And that’s before they take on a tough York squad that is looking to cross the Rubicon to Championship Weekend.

The majority of the Top 20 will be in action next weekend. RIT scrimmaged Yale on Sunday morning, and RIT stood toe-to-toe with Yale for much of the contest, showing off an offense that was versatile and highly skilled. A real strength will be their poles, as the Tigers have defenders that handle so well they can afford to double pole many faceoffs and let their poles be part of the offense off a ground ball. With Mike Grace and Taylor Jensen, there are plenty of ground ball wins.

Big matchups to watch in the next week are Washington & Lee taking on York, Ursinus playing Stevenson, and Dickinson hosting Stevens.

We still have to a wait few more weeks for NESCAC to enter the group chat, but the 2023 men’s Division III season has well and truly begun.

*Note: The below rankings are updated based on early results but also a reflection of increased feedback from Division III coaches across the nation.

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III MEN’S TOP 20

	Feb. 13, 2023	W/L	Prev	Next
1	RIT	0-0	1	2/18 at Muhlenberg
2	Salisbury	2-0	6	2/18 vs. Scranton
3	Tufts	0-0	5	3/4 at Colby
4	Christopher Newport	0-0	2	2/18 vs. Grove City
5	Bowdoin	0-0	3	3/4 at Middlebury
6	Union	0-0	4	2/26 at Babson
7	York	0-0	7	2/18 at No. 17 Washington and Lee
8	Lynchburg	1-0	8	2/18 at St. Mary's (Md.)
9	Gettysburg	0-0	10	2/18 vs. DeSales
10	Wesleyan	0-0	9	3/4 at Bates
11	St. John Fisher	0-0	11	2/25 vs. Ithaca
12	Cabrini	0-0	15	2/18 at Haverford
13	Amherst	0-0	12	3/4 at Hamilton
14	St. Lawrence	0-0	NR	2/28 at SUNY Potsdam
15	Dickinson	0-0	13	2/18 vs. Stevens
16	Stevenson	0-0	16	2/18 at Ursinus
17	Washington and Lee	0-0	17	2/18 vs. No. 7 York
18	Denison	0-0	20	2/18 at Baldwin Wallace
19	RPI	0-0	NR	2/18 at Coast Guard
20	Franklin & Marshall	0-0	18	2/18 vs. Lebanon

Also considered (alphabetical order): Hamilton, Hampden-Sydney, Ithaca, MIT, Roanoke, Ursinus, Western New England

Nike/USA Lacrosse Rankings

Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women

HOT

Salisbury (+4)

A 2-0 start before most teams have even sniffed regular-season action is a good way to make an early climb in the Top 20. The Sea Gulls, buoyed by an experienced attack, are going to be a force in 2023 — especially if Cross Ferrara continues to play the way he did last weekend.

IN

St. Lawrence (No. 14) and RPI (No. 19)

Neither St. Lawrence nor RPI have played yet this spring, but more feedback from coaches and a chance to see the USILA Coaches Poll made it clear that both should be included in the Top 20. Consider it a recalibration of sorts.

OUT

Hampden-Sydney (was No. 14)

A casualty of the above-reference recalibration, Hampden-Sydney opens on Saturday against Southern Virginia but gets its first barometer of the spring on February 26 against Denison. Two weeks later, a stiff test against Cabrini represents another challenge. After that we can properly assess the Tigers.

Roanoke (was No. 19)

Roanoke lost to Salisbury, which is normally something teams toward the back of the Top 20 might get something of a pass for. But given the increased information, Roanoke falls out for now.