Wesleyan Beats Tufts, Vaults Up USA Lacrosse D-III Men's Top 20

Division III is, as this weekend proved once again, the wildest division in all of college lacrosse. And, really, it should be with 400-hundred teams vying for wins and consideration in the USA Lacrosse Top 20. 

But this was not a good week to be ranked for a litany of squads. 

The biggest upset of the week is difficult to identify. Was it Swarthmore’s 13-9 win over Gettysburg? Or was it Wesleyan’s 16-14 victory over Tufts? Roanoke topping Hampden-Sydney 14-8 is also up for consideration. Does Washington and Lee’s 10-9 win over Lynchburg qualify as an upset? How about Trinity’s 11-7 win over Hamilton? (Perhaps that’s a bit too deep into the weeds with the NESCAC, though.)

But you get the point. Let’s hone in on those first two results, as they are the most impactful in the Top 20. Swarthmore had an argument for being underrated since the start of the season. Even though they have been in the Top 20 for the entire spring, the result against Gettysburg has fans going wild on social media. The “I Told You Sos” came immediately after the final whistle sounded, and in this case, perhaps the chirps should be heeded.

Wesleyan’s losses have come to identify them more than their wins this season — and this result against Tufts shows that such an approach is a mistake. In past seasons, the Cardinals defense was their biggest strength. But this year, it’s the offense that is breaking down barriers. And really, against Tufts, you have to be able to score at a clip that at least matches the Jumbos to have a chance to win. And Wesleyan did that — especially in the fourth quarter, when the Cardinals managed to outscore Tufts 5-3. 

With the acceleration of conference play, we are going to see fewer and fewer easy wins and more and more hard losses befall most of the teams in the Top 20. But that’s how you get ranked. If you play tough games and you win them, the reward is a trip to the NCAA tournament.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION III
MEN’S TOP 20

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

Also considered (alphabetical order): Cabrini, Grove City, Hamilton, Hampden-Sydney, Middlebury

HOT

Wesleyan (+11)

What a week for the Cards. After an upset loss a week ago to Middlebury, Wesleyan responded by knocking off two of the top teams in the NESCAC. The Cardinals notched a 12-11 win over Amherst, and then on Saturday, traveled to Medford to collect a 16-14 win over Tufts. Jack Raba put up six points against the Jumbos and made a major difference in the game.

On March 30, we wondered if Wesleyan was ready to contend in the NESCAC. On April 6, Wesleyan holds a 5-1 record in conference and has proven itself immensely.

NOT

Williams (-5)

The Ephs were rolling, and then they weren’t. A week ago, they scored a convincing win against Christopher Newport, vaulting them up the Top 20. This week, they barely hang on. They couldn’t protect a lead against Tufts and fell 17-15, and they followed with a 12-4 loss to archrival Amherst on Saturday. One-sided faceoffs going Amherst's way, and elite goalie play by Brooks Catlin, stifled Williams all afternoon.

IN

Roanoke (No. 19)

Roanoke has been something of an enigma. It returned some serious talent from a year ago and is a senior-heavy, high-powered offense. But the  first real tests of the season were both losses. Since losing to Wesleyan in early March, Roanoke has rattled off five straight wins. Last week, it beat Hampden-Sydney, improved to 10-2 overall and trailed only Washington and Lee in the ODAC standings. The win puts Roanoke into the Top 20 for the first time this season.

OUT

Middlebury (was No. 18)

The Panthers played their way back in last week with a huge win over Wesleyan but followed with a midweek loss to Hamilton. They won a close one over the weekend against Colby, a 7-5 rock fight, but that won’t be enough to keep Middlebury in the Top 20. Three of the last four opponents for Middlebury are currently ranked (St. Lawrence, Tufts and Williams). The NESCAC looks to be as open as it’s been in a long time, and there are opportunities for Middlebury to vault back up, starting with a midweek date with St. Lawrence, which was one of the games that turned the tide for both teams in 2023.