The Yale Bulldogs, fresh off winning the 2018 national title over Duke, take the top spot in the USILA Division I Men's Coaches Poll, released today.
The Bulldogs, also ranked No. 1 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Men's Preseason Top 20, lose Tewaaraton winner Ben Reeves, but welcome back plenty of talent. Jackson Morrill will help run the offense alongside Matt Gaudet, sophomore Chris Fake will anchor the defense and Albany star transfer TD Ierlan will line up for faceoffs.
Duke and Maryland lurk behind Yale, after both advanced to the final four last season. Tewaaraton candidate Pat Spencer leads a Loyola team that sits fourth in the Top 20.
Defending champs Merrimack (Division II) and Wesleyan (Division III) lead their respective preseason rankings released by the USILA.
IWLCA Division I Coaches
Preseason Poll
Rank |
Team |
Points (1st) |
2018 Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yale | 320 (16) | 17-3 |
| 2 | Duke | 296 | 16-4 |
| 3 | Maryland | 274 | 14-4 |
| 4 | Loyola | 255 | 13-4 |
| 5 | Cornell | 239 | 13-5 |
| 6 | Virginia | 238 | 12-6 |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins | 225 | 12-5 |
| 8 | Denver | 218 | 13-4 |
| 9 | Penn State | 187 | 8-6 |
| 10 | Notre Dame | 168 | 9-6 |
| 11 | Syracuse | 167 | 8-7 |
| 12 | Rutgers | 119 | 9-6 |
| 13 | Lehigh | 107 | 10-7 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 107 | 7-7 |
| 15 | Ohio State | 86 | 8-7 |
| 16 | Albany | 83 | 16-3 |
| 17 | Princeton | 56 | 8-5 |
| 18 | Georgetown | 50 | 12-5 |
| 19 | UMass | 35 | 12-5 |
| 20 | Marquette | 26 | 6-8 |
IWLCA Division II Coaches
Preseason Poll
Rank |
Team |
2018 Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merrimack | 18-1 |
| 2 | Le Moyne | 15-2 |
| 3 | Seton Hill | 17-2 |
| 4 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 17-3 |
| 5 | Adelphi | 11-4 |
| 6 | Tampa | 15-5 |
| 7 | NYIT | 13-5 |
| 8 | LIU Post | 10-5 |
| 9 | Saint Leo | 16-3 |
| 10 | Belmont Abbey | 14-4 |
| 10 | Colorado Mesa | 17-3 |
| 12 | Mercyhurst | 11-5 |
| 13 | Saint Anselm | 11-5 |
| 14 | Limestone | 11-8 |
| 15 | Mount Olive | 11-5 |
| 16 | Mercy | 10-5 |
| 17 | Wingate | 11-5 |
| 18 | Pace | 7-7 |
| 19 | Lake Erie | 10-4 |
| 20 | Indianapolis | 10-5 |
IWLCA Division III Coaches
Preseason Poll
Rank |
Team |
2018 Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesleyan | 19-3 |
| 2 | Salisbury | 20-4 |
| 3 | RIT | 21-1 |
| 4 | Tufts | 18-2 |
| 5 | Amherst | 15-4 |
| 6 | Gettysburg | 19-3 |
| 7 | York | 19-3 |
| 8 | Cabrini | 17-3 |
| 9 | Denison | 16-4 |
| 10 | Dickinson | 17-4 |
| 11 | Ohio Wesleyan | 17-4 |
| 12 | Washington & Lee | 15-5 |
| 13 | Christopher Newport | 15-5 |
| 14 | Stevens | 18-3 |
| 15 | Roanoke | 14-6 |
| 16 | Ithaca | 16-4 |
| 17 | Franklin & Marshall | 12-4 |
| 18 | Stevenson | 12-7 |
| 19 | Cortland | 12-7 |
| 20 | Lynchburg | 12-9 |