HobbsDailyReport.com
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The head men’s lacrosse coaches in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) are pointing their finger at Lenoir-Rhyne University as the favorite to win another league title this season.
The coaches gave LRU six first-place votes and 60 points in a preseason poll released Tuesday by conference officials.
LRU opens the season at home on Feb. 3, facing Young Harris at 2 p.m.
The Bears are the defending SAC regular-season champions, and they dominate the preseason All-SAC team – also selected by the head coaches – with half of the 12 first-team spots.
LRU players selected first-team were: attacker Eric Dickinson of Charlotte, midfielder Ben Corrigan of Alpharetta, Ga., defender Jacob O’Connor of Penfield, N.Y., long stick middle Collin Lett of Greensboro, midfielder Shane Gottberg of Mooresville and goalkeeper Ryan Crompton of Frederick, Md.
Dickinson, a sophomore, was SAC Freshman of the Year last season after setting a school record for goals in a season with a league-high 50 while tying for the team lead in points with 67.
Corrigan, a senior, finished with 26 points, 17 assists and 43 points while O’Connor, a senior, anchored a backline that allowed just 10 goals a match last season.
Lett, a senior, was named to the NCAA Division II All-American third team in 2017 after totaling five goals, four assists and 60 ground balls.
Gottberg, a senior, won 67 percent of his face-offs (217-of-323) in addition to a school-record 119 ground balls last spring Crompton, a senior, finished with a 9.24 goals-against average and 154 saves.
LRU finished 12-3 last season and went 8-0 in the SAC to win its third straight regular-season league title. The Bears also earned first trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs, falling in the quarterfinal round to Tampa at home, 11-8.
The Bears are also ranked No. 7 in the USILA/Division II Coaches Preseason Poll, the official rankings for men’s lacrosse. USILA is the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.
2018 SAC MEN’S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
(as voted on by league head coaches)
1. LENOIR-RHYNE (6) 60
2. Wingate (3) 58
3. Queens 52
4. Tusculum 43
5. Lincoln Memorial 35
6. Catawba 30
7. Mars Hill 23
8. Coker 15
9. Newberry 8
PRESEASON ALL-SAC
FIRST TEAM
A – Eric Dickinson, Lenoir-Rhyne
A – Kyle Arcuri, Lincoln Memorial
A – Justin Swick, Queens
MF – Ben Corrigan, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Nate Wade, Tusculum
MF – Daniel Godwin, Wingate
D – Jacob O’Connor, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Chris Gazzio, Wingate
D – Ryan Benck, Lincoln Memorial
LP – Collin Lett, Lenoir-Rhyne
Spec. – Shane Gottberg, Lenoir-Rhyne
GK – Ryan Crompton, Lenoir-Rhyne
SECOND TEAM
A – Jeremy Sullivan, Wingate
A – Dima Ferreira, Mars Hill
A – Dalton Cook, Catawba
MF – Alex Llerandi, Wingate
MF – Adam Golia, Lincoln Memorial
MF – Billy Kopsky, Lincoln Memorial
D – Ryon Bellamy, Queens
D – Nick Rizzieri, Queens
D – Julian Maxey, Catawba
LP – Griffin Stechmiller, Queens
Spec. – Wyatt Weiseman, Wingate
GK – Ryan Kearney, Mars Hill
2018 USILA NCAA DIVISION II PRESEASON POLL
1. Limestone
2. Merrimack
3. Le Moyne
4. Adelphi
5. Pace
6. Tampa
7. LENOIR-RHYNE
8. NYIT
9. Seton Hill
10. Belmont Abbey
11. Mercyhurst
12. Mount Olive
13. Wingate
14. Colorado Mesa
15. Indianapolis
16. Mercy
17. Lindenwood
18. Florida Tech
19. Saint Leo
20. Saint Anselm
- Reported by LRU Sports Information