We all knew a wild week in the NESCAC was coming, and it sure didn’t disappoint.
Some combination of Amherst, Tufts, Wesleyan and Williams all faced off last week, and upsets followed suit. That’s prompted some reshuffling atop the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Men’s Top 20, even if Salisbury still holds the top spot.
The biggest benefactors were RIT and York, who both are knocking off opponents left and right on their quest for a Liberty League and Capital Athletic Conference title, respectively. Meanwhile, there’s also some movement with the Centennial Conference contingent after a tough result for Dickinson.
Let’s get right on into things. The D-III race is heating up.
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
April 8, 2019 |
W/L |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salisbury | 12-0 | 1 | 4/10 vs. Christopher Newport |
| 2 | RIT | 11-1 | 4 | 4/10 vs. Ithaca |
| 3 | York | 11-1 | 5 | 4/10 vs. Frostburg |
| 4 | Amherst | 10-1 | 2 | 4/9 vs. Connecticut College |
| 5 | Wesleyan | 8-2 | 6 | 4/9 vs. Trinity |
| 6 | Tufts | 10-1 | 3 | 4/13 at No. 4 Amherst |
| 7 | Cabrini | 10-2 | 8 | 4/10 vs. Wesley |
| 8 | Gettysburg | 9-3 | 9 | 4/10 vs. No. 11 Dickinson |
| 9 | Williams | 8-2 | 11 | 4/9 at Hamilton |
| 10 | Ursinus | 9-1 | 12 | 4/13 at No. 16 Franklin & Marshall |
| 11 | Dickinson | 8-3 | 7 | 4/10 at No. 8 Gettysburg |
| 12 | Denison | 8-2 | 10 | 4/9 at Kenyon |
| 13 | Stevens | 11-2 | 14 | 4/13 at Nazareth |
| 14 | Washington & Lee | 8-4 | 13 | 4/13 at Ferrum |
| 15 | Bates | 9-2 | 15 | 4/16 at No. 6 Tufts |
| 16 | Franklin & Marshall | 8-3 | 16 | 4/10 at McDaniel |
| 17 | Lynchburg | 8-4 | 17 | 4/13 vs. Virginia Wesleyan |
| 18 | RPI | 9-2 | 18 | 4/10 at Vassar |
| 19 | Union | 9-1 | 20 | 4/13 at St. Lawrence |
| 20 | Cortland | 7-4 | NR | 4/10 at Geneseo |
Also considered (alphabetical order): Coast Guard, Colorado College, DeSales, Ithaca, St. John Fisher, St. Lawrence, Stevenson, Trinity, Whittier
HOT
RIT (+2)
With Amherst and Tufts slipping up, the Tigers vault up up to the No. 2 spot after a 22-13 drubbing of RPI on Saturday. The only blemish on this perennial national tournament contender’s schedule is a one-goal loss to Amherst at the Mustang Classic. Otherwise, it’s been smooth sailing and the Liberty League is again theirs to lose.
York (+2)
The Spartans moved to 2-0 in the Capital Athletic Conference with a 19-9 win over St. Mary’s on Saturday in which senior attackmen Thomas Pfeiffer and Hunter Davis combined for 13 points. The date to circle on your calendar is April 17 and the resulting trip to face conference rivals Salisbury.
Wesleyan (+1)
Kudos to the defending national champions for drawing a line in the sand for what could have been a debilitating week. After a 14-9 loss at Amherst on Wednesday, the Cardinals rebounded with a 10-9 win over Tufts at home. That victory was powered by a 13-save performance from junior goalie Otto Bohan and a career-high four points from junior attackman Tom Martello. Colin Malarchuk has also emerged as a bonafide defensive star as a junior.
Williams (+2)
While the Ephs went 1-1 last week, the nature of both results show what this NESCAC squad could be capable of in 2019. They first lost 15-14 to Tufts on Wednesday, then bounced back with a 13-11 win over Amherst. Five regular-season games remain for Williams, but it’s looking increasingly likely that they return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008.
NOT
Dickinson (-4)
The Red Devils lost to a sub-.500 Haverford team over the weekend, 12-9, unable to do what other nationally-ranked teams could. Simply put, Dickinson ran into the brick wall that was sophomore goalie Ethan Donlon. He made 23 saves, as the Centennial Conference powerhouse saw a 6-2 lead begin to unravel early in the second quarter.
Tufts (-3)
By virtue of some reshuffling at the top of the rankings, Tufts takes a stumble down three spots. That was prompted by a 10-9 loss to Wesleyan, and the task of rebounding is daunting, with a trip to Amherst on the horizon for next weekend. The Wesleyan defeat was the first time Tufts got held to single-digit goals since a May 13, 2017 game in the NCAA tournament. Their opponent? You guessed it: Wesleyan.
Amherst (-2)
The Mammoths take a small tumble down the rankings after losing at Williams, which snapped a 10-game winning streak. Amherst is still a serious national title contender, though, one that has attackman Evan Wolf, the sole D-III player on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List. It also helps that earlier last week, they knocked off Wesleyan, 14-9.
NEW
Cortland
Some may look at Cortland’s 7-4 record and scoff, but the Red Dragons are a battle-tested program that is likely to win the SUNYAC yet again. They’re already 2-0 in the conference, having beaten Plattsburgh 15-6 on Saturday. Last Wednesday’s 14-10 loss also shows Cortland can hang with the best of them, even if a late surge made that scoreline look more favorable.
OUT
Christopher Newport
The Captains are young and talented, but a 14-8 loss to Stevenson on Wednesday made it one too many defeats against teams in or around the top 20. This season, CNU has notable defeats at the hands of Washington and Lee, Stevens, Ursinus and York. They’re knocking on the door of the CAC elite under head coach Mikey Thompson, but several steps remain to enter another stratosphere.