History has a tendency to repeat itself, a fact that bears repeating in the Division III lacrosse world.

For that trend to get nipped in the bud, the 2019 national title will have to venture out of the NESCAC or CAC’s clutches. Namely, the two conferences have captured the past five national crowns via Tufts, Salisbury and, in 2018, Wesleyan.

That’s the big-picture narrative framing this coming season, which concludes with the championship game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. Whoever appears on championship weekend will play before the City of Brotherly Love, a hotbed that’ll host the title match for the fifth time in the last 15 years.

Much could change as the season gets underway and conference play begins, but there’s a clear sense of the country’s top programs. Here’s our look at the Preseason Top 20 teams, based on team history and input from coaches at perennial powerhouses.

1. Wesleyan

The Cardinals won their first-ever national championship last spring, denying Salisbury a chance to tie Hobart with 13 national titles. Wesleyan must find replacements for Harry Stanton, the all-time program leader in goals, and a defense that was anchored by Jake Cresta and Andres Rodriguez. To go the distance again, look for reigning NESCAC Rookie of the Year and attackman Ronan Jacoby, standout goalie Otto Bohan and assist-king Carter Hawthorne to all step up.

2. Salisbury

Salisbury had six All-American honorees last spring, five of whom have since graduated. Midfielder Corey Gwin is the lone holdover, but the Sea Gulls always reboot under 31-year head coach Jim Berkman, the all-time winningest coach in NCAA men’s lacrosse history. While Salisbury won its 21st CAC championship and made the NCAA title game last year, it also weathered an uncharacteristic 3-3 stretch at one point.

3. Amherst

The Mammoths fell to York in the third round of the NCAA tournament, but return arguably the nation’s best attack trio in Colin Minicus, Evan Wolf and Jon Coffey (combined 252 points last year). Amherst has an elite Division III faceoff specialist in Dylan Finazzo, who enters his junior season after winning 69 percent of his draws.

4. Tufts

Tufts has three national titles this decade, though its last came in 2015. With the Casey D'Annolfo now in its third season, the standards will be raised and boosted by Nick Shanks, a First Team All-American in 2018 who had 50 points. Navigating the NESCAC won’t be easy, but Tufts returns depth and experience to go alongside a talented freshman class.

5. RIT

It seemed as though 2018 was going to be RIT’s year, then it fell, 19-18, at home to Wesleyan in the national semifinals. The loss of Kyle Killen (103 points) will weigh heavily, but several Division III coaches tossed out reigning First Team All-American attackman Shawn Nally (63 points) as a possible preseason player of the year.

6. Gettysburg

The Bullets fell to eventual runner-up Salisbury in the NCAA semifinals, 8-7, after completing a perfect regular season in the Centennial Conference. To stay atop the national picture, Gettysburg will need big seasons from defender Mitch Wykoff and midfielder Jack Harvey, who are both coming off Second Team All-American campaigns.

7. York

The Spartans went a perfect 8-0 in the Capital Athletic Conference last year, though lost to RIT in the NCAA quarterfinals. When healthy, the attack trio of Hunter Davis, Brendan McGrath and Thomas Pfeiffer – all seniors this coming spring – is one of the nation’s best. York’s biggest question mark comes in goal, with two-year starter Landry Marshall moving on via graduation.

8. Washington & Lee

The Generals won the ODAC regular season, but met their match in the NCAA tournament’s third round vs. Dickinson. Fending off the likes of Roanoke and Lynchburg won’t be easy, but the return of First Team All-American attackman A.J. Witherell should go a long way. Ahead of his senior year, Witherell has 234  career points.

9. Cabrini

Cabrini has dominated in the CSAC and 2018 was no different, as the Cavaliers won their 18th straight conference tournament title. Navigating deep into the NCAA tournament has proven trickier, though it sure helps that two-time All-American attackman Jordan Krug has his senior year ahead. Beyond Krug, keep an eye out for senior goalkeeper Riley White, the reigning CSAC Defensive Player of the Year.

10. Christopher Newport

Faceoff specialist Tony Cruz and attackman Matthew Crist, both Honorable Mention All-Americans, have graduated, but the Colonials don’t have to reboot. Look for attackman Dylan Rice, reigning CAC Rookie of the Year, to step up as Christopher Newport looks to build off its first-ever NCAA tournament victory.

11. Ohio Wesleyan

Last year, the Battling Bishops made the NCAA tournament quarterfinals and won their 20th NCAC regular-season title. Ohio Wesleyan had seven All-Americans last year, though only two remain: attackmen Steven Hildebrand (96 points) and Max Tennant (87 points), both seniors.

12. Denison

The Big Red faced Ohio Wesleyan three times last year, winning the NCAC tournament title, but lost when it mattered most in the NCAA tournament’s third round. The big-name player to keep an eye out for is junior attackman Peter Pittroff, a Second Team All-American who had 107 points last year. Denison is always in the hunt.

13. Dickinson

The Red Devils downed Gettysburg for the Centennial Conference title last year, though couldn’t get past Salisbury in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals. Two-time All-American Nate Usich, a long stick midfielder, is among the nation’s best, while goalkeeper Cole Pellicano returns after an All-Centennial Conference and All-Region campaign.

14. Roanoke

The sting surrounding Roanoke certainly lingers after losing to Lynchburg in the ODAC title game and Christopher Newport in the NCAA tournament’s second round. Head coach Bill Pilat said senior goalkeeper, a First Team All-American last year, might be the best at his position in all of college lacrosse.

15. Stevens

Last year, Stevens won its first Empire 8 title since 2012, but a new era nears as the Ducks depart for the Middle Atlantic Conference starting in 2019-20. To go out with a bang, senior attackman Max Bailey – the reigning Empire 8 Player of the Year and a Third Team All-American – will need another blockbuster season. Bailey has 210 career points.

16. Stevenson

Stevenson began its 2018 season dismally, dropping its first five games, only to rear back and win the MAC Commonwealth Championship. It won’t get any easier in 2019 with the annual Mustang Classic in mid-March, paving the way for a jam-packed conference slate. Stevenson’s big returner is junior faceoff specialist Justin Burnette, a Second Team All-American last year.

17. Lynchburg

The Hornets have made seven straight NCAA tournaments, so the bar is set high for the 2015 national finalists. They won the ODAC last year and return All-Americans in junior attackman Evan Lombardo and junior long stick midfielder Seamus McDonald.

18. Cortland

The Red Dragons have won all but four SUNYAC titles since 1978, so there’s a built-in expectation that they’ll again make an NCAA tournament run. Games against fellow national contenders – Tufts, Wesleyan, RIT and Ithaca are all on the docket – should prove telling in determining 2019’s outcome.

19. Ithaca

After falling to RIT in the Liberty League finals and NESCAC power Tufts in the NCAA tournament’s third round, Ithaca returns much of its core from 2018. An early test vs. Cabrini on March 9 should prove telling, especially in seeing if Honorable Mention All-American midfielders Conner Crosson and Josh Della Puca can keep the good times rolling.

20. Williams

The Ephs were barely above .500 last year, though several NESCAC coaches said they could be the surprise squad in arguably the nation’s top conference. Williams’ core was nearly all underclassmen, so that experience and maturation could pay massive dividends.