The 2018 Men's Division III season started the same way the last one ended, with Salisbury picking up a victory. The Sea Gulls got past Hampden-Sydney by a score of 16-7 on Sunday (with two games taking place Saturday). Most of the Divison III world will get underway this weekend.

But unlike last year, Salisbury is not on top the Division III rankings. With a handful of key players gone to graduation, the defending champs will be hunting top-ranked Wesleyan and local rival York in the Nike/US Lacrosse Men's Division III Top 20. Here's a team-by-team preview of the Division III season.

1. Wesleyan

The cupboard is very full in Middletown, Conn., as the Cardinals return nearly intact — with the notable exception of first-team All-American goalie Teddy Bergman — from last year’s NCAA semifinalist squad. Harry Stanton (89G, 29A) is a potential Player of the Year candidate, with Carter Hawthorne (40, 55), Christian Barker (26, 28) and Taylor Ghesquiere (47, 4) also returning having racked up at least 50 points in 2017.  

2. York

Much like Wesleyan, the Spartans return a mostly intact core from a very good 2017 squad, anchored by Brendan McGrath (58G, 24A) on attack. He anchors an offensive unit that returns nine of its top ten scorers from a year ago. March will be a key indicator for York, as it faces Lynchburg, Gettysburg, Nazareth and Stevenson in one 14-day stretch, followed by its regular-season date against CAC rival Salisbury.

3. Salisbury

On paper, the Sea Gulls could drop much further than the third spot, having graduated most of the key cogs from last year’s championship squad, including Iroquois National Award winner Nathan Blondino. But we know better than to underestimate coach Berkman and Co. For starters, at least, the team’s core will be on the defensive end, anchored by Styles Award winner Kyle Tucker and fellow first-team All-American Will Nowesnick.

4. Cortland

Attackmen Devin Phelps (47G, 43A) and Thomas McNaney (50, 33) help bring a lot of pop to the front line, and second-team All-American Nate Beresevoy also returns, giving Red Dragons fans plenty to be optimistic about. Returning firepower, and some key transfers from the Onondaga Community College dynasty, should render that a momentary hiccup.

5. RIT

Salisbury’s NCAA finals opponent is whistling a similar tune, as the Tigers begin 2018 looking to fill significant holes from graduation, including the program’s all-time leading scorer and Turnbull Award winner Ryan Lee. Kyle Killen, who had 55 points a year ago on a start-studded roster which scored over 17 goals per game, will have to step up in a big way to help anchor the rebuild.

6. Denison

The Big Red proved it belonged in the national picture in 2017, arguably giving Salisbury its biggest scare of the second half in a one-goal NCAA semifinals loss. But major graduation losses leave Denison searching for an offensive identity. NCAC Defensive Player of the Year Ben Duhoski returns to anchor a crew which allowed just over seven goals per game last spring, but a tough non-conference schedule will test the Midwest’s best frequently.

7. Cabrini

A dangerous group returns for the lone program to hand Salisbury a loss in 2017, anchored by Player of the Year candidate Jordan Krug (58G, 17A as a sophomore). Timmy Brooks (53, 18) is another big scoring threat, while Riley Michaels won close to 70% at the X a year ago.

8. Tufts

Attackman Danny Murphy (54G, 41A) and midfielder Ben Connelly (30,17) anchor an offensive unit that should fit right in with the go-go NESCAC, as coach Casey D’Annolfo looks to get the Jumbos back atop the league in his second season at the helm. All-NESCAC selection Eric Rogers anchors the defense in front of goalie Ben Schmerler, who stopped 57 percent of the shots he saw last spring.

9. Lynchburg

The ODAC’s leading goal scorer, junior attackman Evan Lombardo and honorable mention All-American goalie CJ Santora return to a Hornets team looking to build on a strong finish last spring. They’ll know pretty quickly how they look against the best in the country, with Salisbury, York, Cabrini and RIT all on the schedule before St. Patrick’s Day.

10. Dickinson

A well-rounded group of returners is back and will look to add a little more consistency for the Red Devils, who missed the NCAA tournament last spring after a hot start that saw non-conference victories over both Cabrini and RIT. Dylan Maher (43 goals), Tucker Carney (19 assists) and faceoff specialist Ryan Campbell are all back in the mix, as is most of the defense from a year ago.

11. Ithaca

Key pieces from the offensive group are gone, but leading feeder Jake Cotton (19G, 38A) returns, as does young finisher Will Witter (31, 6). With every team in the Liberty League needing to replace key pieces, the Bombers hope to finish stronger than a year ago, when they faded down the stretch and failed to make the NCAA tournament.

12. Gettysburg

Second-team All-American Midfielder Jack Harvey and attackman Tommy Heller — who tied for the team lead with 46 points a year ago — return as the Bullets look to rebound from a rare “off” year and miss of the NCAA tournament. Defensively, Tim Brady returns after an honorable mention All-America nod in goal.

13. Amherst

Scoring should come fairly naturally for the newly-christened Mammoths, with attackman Evan Wolf (29G, 17A) back along with leading scorer Colin Minicus (31, 42) and seven of the nine other players who had at least 15 points in 2017. The defense has some holes due to the graduation of heart-and-soul type SSDM Matt Killian and starting goalie Cody Tranbarger, but FO specialist Dylan Finazzo is back after winning 63 percent as a freshman.

14. Bates

How do you top a season for the ages? The Bobcats find themselves facing just that question after last spring’s NCAA semifinals run. Three first-team All-Americans were lost to graduation, including Middie of the Year Kyle Weber, but the cupboard isn’t bare in Lewiston. Matt Chlastawa is back after a monster first year (53G, 32A), as is fellow starting attackman Andrew Melvin (27, 38). The defense has more holes to fill, but Rob Strain is back after taking over as starting goalie down the stretch.

15. Franklin & Marshall

After a breakthrough year in 2017, look out for the Diplomats again, as the defending Centennial Conference champions return much of the group that powered a program-record 16-win season and first NCAA appearance since 2003. Sophomore Kevin Mollihan is back after putting up a program-record 63 goals, while linemate Sean Rogers was the league’s Offensive POY after an 84-point campaign. Defense is where the Diplomats have questions, having graduated two season-long starters at close.

16. Stevenson

Ready or not, the season is coming for the Mustangs, who open the year taking on a staggering seven straight ranked teams in February and March. Dominic DeFazio returns as the core of the defense after Honorable Mention All-American accolades a year ago, while JT Thelen headlines the offense after leading the Mustangs as a sophomore with 81 points (54G, 27A).

17. St. Lawrence

Graduation hit the Saints particularly hard, as all five players who received All-America recognition from the USILA are gone. Jordan Dow returns as the lone starter from last season’s offensive unit with more than 16 points (he had 37 goals and 11 assists). Goalie Alex Terry is also back, having put together a 7.55 GAA season as a freshman.

18. Roanoke

A loss to Lynchburg in the ODAC semifinals ended a 13-win season for the Maroons without an NCAA tournament berth, but much of that team’s core returns for another go. Defenseman Conn Curry was a second-team All-American as a junior, and leads a mostly intact unit in front of returning goalie Ian Davies.

19. Stevens

A well-balanced crew of returners hope to get the Ducks over the hump, after the team fell heartbreakingly short of an NCAA berth a year ago with an overtime loss to Nazareth in the Empire 8 final. The 1-2 scoring punch of Max Bailey (17G, 51A) and Tommy Dawson (47G, 16A) should lead the way up front, while a close defense returning two starters in front of two-year starting goalie Carson White, should also be strong.

20. Middlebury

Could a late-season hot streak be a portend of a resurgent Panthers squad? Middlebury made headlines with wins over Amherst and then Bates in the NESCAC tournament, followed by a heartbreaking loss in the finals to Wesleyan, which saw a three-goal second half lead slip away for the Panthers. Middlebury returns its top five leading scorers, headlined by AJ Kucinski — who had 38 goals and 36 assists as a freshman. Graduation hit the defensive end harder, but second-team All-American Eric Rogers should provide leadership while the unit looks to gel.