Men's Division III Forum Poll

LaxPower MD3 Forum Poll #1 February 7, 2005
Rank	Team	Points	1st	Previous
1	Salisbury	400	20
2	Nazareth	371
3	Middlebury	348
4	Cortland	342
5	Washington College	319
6	Ithaca	280
7	Gettysburg	276
8	Tufts	242
9	Washington & Lee	215
10	Hampden-Sydney	169
11	Springfield	163
12	Roanoke	155
13	Amherst	148
14	RIT	140
15	Wesleyan	133
16	St. Lawrence	93
17	Whittier	74
18	Lynchburg	66
19	Stevens	65
20	Geneseo	50
Others receiving votes: Rensselaer (36), Franklin & Marshall (21), Bowdoin (18), Messiah (16), Dickinson (14), Cabrini (11), Hartwick (9), Mary Washington (8), McDaniel (6), Colorado College (4), St. Mary's (2), Wooster (2), Oneonta (2), Hamilton (1), Ohio Wesleyan (1)
Number of voters: 20 (2badknees, anksy, AO, boartusk, corkscrew, D-III, general21111, hardcorelaxfan, laxie, litelax, Lonewolf, minkhoo, Richard, Rusty Gate, SacredLax, squash, twoin, valaxfan, waclaxfan, Zapata) Pollsters' Comments About Teams They Ranked Salisbury: Gulls number 1 until proven otherwise ... but they aren't invincible. (2badknees) — Champs until someone knocks them off in the tourney. (anksy) — #1 until they lose. (boartusk) — #1 - not even close (corkscrew) — The Gulls still have talent all over the field, but they will not be unstoppable as they were in '04. Playing in the CAC makes them as close to Automatic Qualifer at this point as a team could be. (D-III) — Perhaps not as strong as last year, but still the best in the division. (general21111) — Number 1 til someone does what nobody else has been able to do for a couple of years. (hardcorelaxfan) — Do return a lot of players; however, the rest of the world is catching up. Won't be as easy. (laxie) — Enough said. (litelax) — Gulls have a ton of points to replace from last year but lots of talent to replace them with. Salisbury has upgraded its OOC schedule this year. (minkhoo) — #1 until beaten. Huge # of points need to be replaced. This team had better not live on past laurels. (Richard) — Two-time defending national champion, an easy #1, but they do lose a lot and they are not just going to walk into the national championship game. They lose 3 AA attackmen, 2 AA midfielders, and an AA defensemen, which includes the Co-Midfielder of the Year and Defensive/Player of the Year plus a bunch of other excellent seniors. Now on the other hand they return 4 AAs, a lot of points, and some solid players on defense. They will be a great team, but the question is, can they have players step up and fill in for the great graduating class of 2004? They will not go undefeated this season(which is obviously very tough), and my pre-season prediction is that they will bow out in the semi-finals. (SacredLax) — Obvious #1. (twoin) — No. 1 until they lose. Phillips is back, great defense too, but untested offense will be their challenge. Should win their conference with no problem. (valaxfan) — Too much talent. (waclaxfan) — The return of Phillips is a big plus, but the departures of Martin, Arnold, Murray, O'Neill may be too much, even for Salisbury, to overcome. Got to go with the Champs with a very slight edge over Nazareth. (Zapata) Nazareth: As with the Gulls, until they are beaten, they are at the top. (2badknees) — Great season last year, great goalie coming back, should be very strong again this spring. (anksy) — Will be the northern power to defeat. Has Bowdoin, Salisbury, and Cortland early in schedule. (boartusk) — Flash in the pan? Can their goalie keep it up? (corkscrew) — The surprise team of 2004. Return a ton of talent, and they will look to build off of last season. Salivating at the opportunity to get revenge on Salisbury in Florida. Nazareth is NY's top team. (D-III) — Very solid team, but will the goalie be hot at tournament time again? Lost some offense. (general21111) — Will have to prove they should stay here. (hardcorelaxfan) — Very impressed with the way Nazareth played in the finals. They battled Salisbury, and most of the team that battled is back. Start with the goalie Civalier, very athletic and great size. Great seasoned defense in front of him. At attack Coon and Balash are excellent. Deep at middie led by Bryan Adams, this team is ready to compete. (laxie) — Can they hold the Blue Bomber's at bay? (litelax) — Flyers look like the best in the North and have a very impressive OOC schedule including a rematch with the Gulls. (minkhoo) — Last year's experience and returning players could be enough to carry this team back to the championship game. (Richard) — Surprise team of 2004. Obviously always a good top 10 team, but not many, if anybody, outside of the school thought they were going to play in the National Championship game. Were not a dominating team last season, lost some close ones and won some close ones. They really started playing good lacrosse towards the playoffs (the best time to start). They lose their 2 best offensive players (both attackmen) plus 2 excellent midfielders, but return great players like Alex Civalier who played major roles in them getting to the NC. Their defense was not given much credit for any of their success, but they all return. I think with a great goalie they will have what it takes to carry this team. Tough to say about them getting back to the NC, but having to chose a team from the North I would say either them or Cortland. Since I could choose only 1, Nazareth will represent the North in 2005. (SacredLax) — Just going on preseason rankings until they start playing. (twoin) — Late season run, good recruits coming in, team could contend again for title game but will have to replace Wahl and Brown on attack. Great goalie coming back, potential GOY. (valaxfan) — Still look to be strong. (waclaxfan) — Despite the loss of two of their starting attack, a very good nucleaus of players return, plus the fabulous Alex Civalier in goal. (Zapata) Middlebury: NESCAC restrictions take a toll? Late start, some rust? (2badknees) — They have been a dominant program in the north since '99 but lost a lot to graduation. They will need to retool with a strong conference itching to finally knock them off. (anksy) — Must win on the road vs. Wesleyan on 4/2 and Tufts on 4/13 to keep home field advantage in the playoffs. D will be tested by Jumbo Griffin and by a flock of Cardinals. (boartusk) — Hungry to get back in the finals. (corkscrew) — A new look for the Panthers, led by a tremendous defense. They are still very deep and very athletic, but they do not have many superstars. It is hard to place this group. They could win another National Championship or finish 4th in the NESCAC. (D-III) — Still a very dangerous team, especially in the tournament. (general21111) — Always near the top with a good group of athletes. Early game w/ Gettysburg should prove a lot - for both teams. (hardcorelaxfan) — Snapping at the heels of the Dragons will be Middlebury. The tradition of excellence is there; however, did see them in their season ending loss to Nazareth, and there are some holes to fill, especially Saricini and West. However, Coach Quinn is a plus. (laxie) — Kreiger's replacement the key. (litelax) — The NESCAC is still the Panther's lair, but it will be a tough road through this conference. (minkhoo) — This could be a rebuilding year for Middlebury. Experienced players from the glory years are mostly gone. A new group is in. They are talented, and they have a great coach. (Richard) — This is a team that I think will have a down year. The NESCAC teams have been closing in on Middlebury over the past couple of years and with the graduation of the teams two leading point scorers, one of their top D-men (Ed Brown), and their goalie, this will not be the Middlebury that we have come to know over the past six seasons. They will still be a top-10 team, but I would not be surprised to see a different team representing the NESCAC in the NCAAs. Now if the past as taught me anything at all, it has been that you should never count Middlebury out, because they always find a way of making to at least the semis and most of the time the championship game. (SacredLax) — Just going on preseason rankings until they start playing. (twoin) — Never count this team out. Great coach and system, but will they actually win their conference this year or pull a W&L and lose the regular season but win the tourney. They lost 3 of top 4 scorers and some serious senior leadership with it. (valaxfan) — Off year by Middlebury standards. Attack unit is solid, but candidly not as strong as perhaps two other NESCAC teams. (Zapata) Cortland: Red Dragons should be in the hunt. (2badknees) — Transfers will have a BIG impact; great fall; if everyone is healthy and they get some consistent play between the pipes, they could go all the way! (anksy) — Transfers make this team very dangerous. (corkscrew) — Cortland will be an interesting team to watch this year. They have some highly touted transfers joining the team and return a solid core, but will that be enough to get them over the hump? They lost their best attackman, best midfielder, and best defender from '04, and they still have not found a strong replacement for Feltman in goal. Cortland certainly has a lot of talent, and it remains to be seen whether they can over come some huge losses. (D-III) — Two good transfers to fill two needs, and they are due for a upside surprise. (general21111) — Another high early ranking. (hardcorelaxfan) — Have to give Cortland the nod here. The loss of 3-yr AA Roth, 2-yr AA Hyatt, and 2-yr AA Estrella will certainly hurt, however. Lambert, Hughes, Mendelson, O'connor, Gleason, and Felice all return with plenty of experience. Factor in the transfers they have, and Cortland will be in the hunt. A usual aggressive schedule will battle test them. (laxie) — Should be more balanced at both ends of the field. (litelax) — Dragons have final four talent. Can they make it farther? An extremely tough OOC schedule will have them ready to run the SUNYAC. (minkhoo) — If there is one thing to be learned from last year, it is that they need to play to the end of the season and that they had better be in shape. They play one of the toughest schedules and will be there in the end. (Richard) — Cortland started to fall apart towards the end of the 2004 season. Losing in their conference tournament was not a good way to start the playoffs. They lose 3 of the team's best players, which includes their four-year starting defenseman and best player on the team (Estrella). On the other hand, Cortland returns a lot of big-time players from '04, and with the addition of some solid Division I transfers they seem to be doing all right in filling up the areas left by the graduating seniors. The big question in '05, the same question as '04, who will step up in goal? Cortland still has not recovered from the loss of Feltmann. Both of the goalies who started last year have more experience and maybe even more confidence, and much of the success this season will be determined by how well they play. Cortland will have an excellent season, similar to there '03 season. As I said earlier, I feel that it's a close one in predicting who will represent the North, but a great goalie can make a good team great (Nazareth). I think that Cortland will bow out in the semi-finals. (SacredLax) — Just going on preseason rankings until they start playing. (twoin) — Some D1 transfers added this year. Will that be enough to put them through to the next level. Top scorer and Roth have departed but a lot of firepower returns. Could their transfers and returning players make a run for the championship this year? (valaxfan) — Could this be their year? (waclaxfan) — What's not to like? Lambert and Hughes at attack, Fleice at midfield, plus solid close D unit. (Zapata) Washington College: Cream of the Centennial ... Could be a year of fratricide, however. (2badknees) — The Cortland of the South in recent years, right on the doorstep; looking to get back to the national championship game; great program will be in the thick of things again this year. (anksy) — Defense solid with Thibadeau replacing Yost between the pipes. (boartusk) — Lots of losses on offense. Berger carried the team. New goalie. (corkscrew) — Defensively very solid. The loss of Berger will be huge as the entire offense ran through him. They will need their inexperienced midfield to step up fast. The Shoremen's schedule is not as difficult as in the past so this should allow them to grow. (D-III) — Very deep defensively and solid at attack with Spivey and Lane, but will miss Berger at midfield. (general21111) — WAC will still be strong, but the loss of Berger and Yost will be huge. (hardcorelaxfan) — Have to go with the Shoremen. Why? Because they are always there. Spivey will score, and Vetter and Mitten are beasts on defense. (laxie) — All the power is on the Eastern Shore. (litelax) — Unfortunately for Shoremen, they are #2 on the Eastern Shore. Bonus points for playing all the teams with ampersands in their name! (minkhoo) — The loss of Berger is big, but the loss of Yost is really big. He allowed the defense to be aggressive by being such a great stopper. Their defense was one of the best last year. They will be strong this year but, like G-burg, they will be one of five teams fighting for the Centennial. (Richard) — This is a team that is losing a lot of their offensive production, including the Co-Midfielder of the Year (Berger - 94 points!). That is tough to overcome. The bright side to this is that they are returning some young underclassmen who were some of the team's top point scorers last season. On defense they return some solid players, including '04 1st team AA Mitten and 2nd team AA Vetter. Losing your starting goalie, especially when he is a '04 2nd team AA is never good, but WAC has a very talented and capable back-up in Thibadeau. Thibadeau has been developing into a great goalie over the past two seasons and had 18 saves in his first collegiate start. Look for him to be a bit shaky in the beginning of the season, but by the end of '05 he will be helping his team to a run at the NC. My pre-season prediction is that WAC will represent the South in 2005. (SacredLax) — Just going on preseason rankings until they start playing. (twoin) — Lost POY in Berger but return Spivey! Will he be enough to key their offensive success. Big test against the Generals early. (valaxfan) — Give WAC a slight edge over Gettysburg despite WAC losing the best player last year in Bergy. Their defensive unit should be stellar. (Zapata) Ithaca: Returning depth the story here? (2badknees) — Solid coach and solid returnees at midfield and attack. Always in the mix; toughest conference top to bottom in the country in my opinion. (anksy) — Everyone back. Biggest loser in the AQ battles. (corkscrew) — Should be the hungriest team in D3 after just missing the playoffs two straight seasons, and last year they got to watch Nazareth go all the way to the championship. A ton talent returns for the Bombers. NY's #2 team. (D-III) — A lot of senior leadership returns. (general21111) — Weil can score, and Huckle and Casey are athletic middies. A strong Empire 8 league will have them ready. Great goalie in Butler, and a coach who knows how to get them ready in Long. (laxie) — Maybe Naz's biggest problem. (litelax) — Bombers are the best team to miss the tourney in 2003-2004. With the competition in the E8 plus a tough OOC slate, they need to win the conference to avoid a three peat. (minkhoo) — Poster child for expansion of D3 NCAAs. Ithaca could very well be the top team out of the North. (Richard) — Lose their goalie, who has been the back bone of the team over the past couple of seasons. Will remain competitive in 2005 but will stay at the level they were at in '04, sub par for a solid program. (SacredLax) — Just going on preseason rankings until they start playing. (twoin) — This team has some serious offensive punch returning. Can Coach Long return them to their glory days? (valaxfan) Gettysburg: 3 AAs return on D. Should be good year for the Bullets. (2badknees) — Great coach, great program; will be a tough contender for any team in the South. (anksy) — Many new faces on this roster. (corkscrew) — The Bullets should be very strong this season. A great keeper, a strong defense, and a strong attack. Their midfield does not have any stars but should find some good balance. (D-III) — Not as strong as last year, but still a formidable team. (general21111) — Midfield should be better than many predict. Otherwise, the team should be good and have less of an impact from graduation than WAC. (hardcorelaxfan) — Vaughan is a great goalie as evidenced last season. The loss of the Smiths will hurt this team early. Washington and Lee, Hampden, and Middlebury will be early tests. (laxie) — Just a hair behind the Shoremen. (litelax) — Lots of graduation losses but lots of talent there to step up. Bullets play what looks to be the toughest schedule in the country with the top teams of the NESCAC, ODAC, Capital, and MAC all on the bill. (minkhoo) — Top Centennial team this year. Replacing VanNostrand and a group of middies will be tough. And this conference is no longer a two-team race. It looks like a five-team race. (Richard) — Like the other top teams, G'Burg loses some of their biggest impact players and top point scorers. The plus for them is that they return a lot of talent as well. In goal they have a great goaltender in Pat Vaughn, who was HMAA as a freshman. G'burg will make a nice run this season. They have one of the toughest schedules year after year and always remain in the top 10. Another good year for the Bullets. (SacredLax) — Just going on preseason rankings until they start playing. (twoin) — Chase Stewart and Pat Vaughn key to their success this year. Graduated many seniors who were key to their early NCAA Semifinal successes of the Bullets. Can they be replaced? (valaxfan) — Stewart and Gallant at attack, plus close D unit, are clearly the strengths of G-burg. Midfield appears less stable, with no apparent go-to guy. (Zapata) Tufts: Good balance, but NESCAC restrictions play a role? (2badknees) — Seems to be everyone's favorite to dethrone Middlebury in the NESCAC; I'm on the bandwagon. Griffin POY candidate. (anksy) — Tough games versus Amherst and Middlebury are at home, but they must play Wesleyan in Middletown. That game on 4/27 could determine NESCAC Tournament home field advantage. Tufts must get offense from more than Griffin. (boartusk) — One of top players in all Division III makes this a dangerous team. (corkscrew) — Explosive upfront with one of the top attack units in the nation and a strong midfield. Bryan Griffin is the best player in D-III, and Devin Clarke gives them one of the best midfielders in the country. However, they have question marks on defense as they graduated three starters, and that is why Amherst gets the nod for now as the team most likely team to knock off Middlebury. (D-III) — Amherst away and Middlebury at home will be the big games--could win the NESCAC and an even higher ranking. (general21111) — I like Tufts. The Jumbos return Clarke and Griffen and a great young coach in Dave Schaller. Could be the leader in their conference. (laxie) — 2nd in the NESCAC, but in the first 10. (litelax) — Jumbos taking aim at taking down Middlebury. The OOC schedule looks to be less challenging than the NESCAC, however. (minkhoo) — This team could be the new blood at the top of the NESCAC. There will be lots of competition for that spot. The return of Griffen might be what is needed to put them at the top of the heap. (Richard) — I don't think you can call this team a surprise team. They are capable of making a run at the end of the season like Nazareth in '04. Return the team's best players from a good 2004 season, including one of the best attackmen in the country. I have them representing the NESCAC in the NCAA tournament and would not be surprised if they made it to the semifinals. (SacredLax) — Just going on preseason rankings until they start playing. (twoin) — Return top two scorers and gave Middlebury all they could handle last year. Maybe this year they beat Middlebury in regular season but lose in the playoffs. It would be a step forward. (valaxfan) — Coach Daly's team will be remind many of the Indianapolis Colts: high power offense, which hopefully will overcome the inexperience of their defensive unit. (Zapata) Washington & Lee: Generals right on the tail of HSC Tigers ... ODAC will be tougher than usual. (2badknees) — Solid attack returning; talk on the boards is they have a good frosh class; will the young guns step up? Tough conference, will be in the mix for the South. (anksy) — Entire first midfield gone, goalie gone, 2/3 attack gone, 2/3 defense gone, top 10 ranking - gone ? (corkscrew) — W&L supporters are setting the expectations very low for this team, which probably spells trouble for the rest of D3. If they can find a solid keeper, the Generals won't fall too far. (D-III) — Lost a lot of offense, but solid on defense. Talented but untested goalie. Lots of seniors but need some sophomores to step up. (general21111) — Early games with WAC and Gettysburg will tell the world a lot about where the Generals will go this year. (hardcorelaxfan) — Defense will give the Generals the competitive edge, and Molinelli can play. Coach Cerino lets his stud go, and that is how it should be. Need to stay healthy. First two games against Washington and Gettysburg will tell. (laxie) — Like the rest of the conference, will need to grow through the season to remain here. (litelax) — Generals have to promote some young Colonels to replace graduation losses. May struggle early. (minkhoo) — It took several games for W&L to find an offense last year. Most of it graduated. Defense and goal tending were the strong point last year, and much of it is graduated. This will be a rebuilding year in Lexington. Good coaching and strong recruiting keep them in the hunt. (Richard) — Need to get off to a better start this season. A good start can set the tone for the entire season. It doesn't help when your first two games of the season are against WAC and G'Burg. What worries me about this team is the poor year they had last season, with all of their best players. They have graduated a lot and will continue playing sub-par W&L Lacrosse. They should definitely start off 0-2. (SacredLax) — Just going on preseason rankings until they start playing. (twoin) — Team lost most of its scoring, so a new identity will have to emerge from the Gennies! Look for their defense, anchored by Chris Lalli, to be strong, but the offense will have to find a new punch. Generals are lucky to have several freshmen who can fit right in. Looking for Rider, Robbins, Englehart, and others to make an impact like Goodwin, Arcati, and Ryan did last year. May struggle early but could be the building block for a near-future championship team in Lexington, Virginia. Let's hope so; I know I am ready to dance to the "W&L Swing". (valaxfan) — The loss of four 1st team All-Conference players will be hard to replace. This is a rebuilding year for W&L. (Zapata) Hampden-Sydney: HSC has a ton of talent. Gotta go with the ODAC coaches here ... but fratricide in the ODAC, like the Centennial, will be a factor. (2badknees) — Return premiere long stick in D3; ODAC always a tough conference. Need to beat a top 10 team to help there chances for a Pool B. (anksy) — Many players return from team that fizzled at end of 2004. (corkscrew) — Look to rebound after a down year in 2004. The Tigers lost some important seniors, so it is unlikely that they will get back into the top half of the rankings. (D-III) — Five or six top players, but is there enough depth? (general21111) — Had Whittier here (#10) until reports of the loss of their key players came out. Everybody moved up, and Whittier goes out of the top 20 in my opinion. (hardcorelaxfan) — Need to have a strong second half of the season. (laxie) — Everyone is rebuilding in the ODAC. H is just first in the alphabet. (litelax) — Tigers have talent and depth, but did not hit on all cylinders last year. (minkhoo) — #3 in the ODAC. Their coaching might carry them into the top 20 this year. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Rostan is a great coach. Now that his son is an assistant, can two Rostans coaching be better than one. A large freshmen class showcases Coach Rostan's in-state recruiting efforts. Great goalie returning, and Vince Smith along with the best FO guy in ODAC. Their defense is always tough. A new identity will have to emerge from "Farmvull". (valaxfan) — My pick to win the ODAC. Smith and Fassnacht are big time legit players, plus outstanding close D unit and Bull in goal. (Zapata) Springfield: Pride senior heavy. If they are going to get it done, this is the year. (2badknees) — Solid program; always dangerous; looking to bounce back after early first round exit last year in the tourney. (anksy) — Looked pretty good last year until end of year. Average team in weak league. (corkscrew) — Disappointing end to last season. The upgrade in talent in the NCAA tournament after the Pilgrim league play probably hurts this group. Still expect them to be strong again. Gibson and Brown are two of the best offensive players in the country. However, the Pride defense is suspect. (D-III) — A lot of returning seniors, but could start 1-3. Last year they dominated in conference but lost the big out of conference games and tournament game to Stevens. Will reevaluate this team based on games in March. (general21111) — Taylor Brown is the man, and they also return a lot of senior layers: Nax, Hartwick, Middlebury, and Cortland. WOW. (laxie) — This group was a huge disappointment at the end of '04. (litelax) — Pride should win Pilgrim but need to improve on last years OOC record, which is tough to do when three top 5 teams are on the schedule. (minkhoo) — Perennially strong team. Last year's team faded at times. They play a strong schedule and will win their share of tough games. In conference they will have to watch their tails. WNEC and Wheaton are catching up. (Richard) — Though this team lost two of its top players (both attackmen) they should be able to fill those spots and have a good year. They started a freshman goalie last season, and he was not that bad, not great, but not bad. He will have more confidence by coming into the season as this team's starter. They start the season off with a tough stretch of games. Look for them to beat Middlebury (night game) and have some close games (possibly wins) with Nazareth and Cortland. To finish this stretch of games, I am saying Bowdoin @ Springfield will win. As for the NCAAs, Springfield will walk right through the Pilgrim League. Hopefully they will show up for their NCAA game this season. (SacredLax) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — How they do without the great Paul Purdy? Will their defense play good enough? I still like the team and their coach. (valaxfan) — Taylor Brown is all everything, but Purdy will be missed, as well as most of last year's defensive unit. March 5th game opener against Nazareth should a very tough test for them. (Zapata) Roanoke: Maroons swimming in shark infested waters with HSC, W&L, etc. Tough out of conference schedule. (2badknees) — Seem to have been up and down the past couple of years. Need to be more consistent; interesting game early vs. Ithaca. (anksy) — Almost entire squad returns from a very dangerous team. 21 wins over past 2 seasons vs. very demanding schedule. Early game vs. Ithaca should be a classic. (corkscrew) — This is Roanoke's year in the ODAC. The other teams all have big question marks, while the Maroons seem very balanced. Expect Roanoke to finally get back to the NCAAs by getting the AQ from the ODAC. (D-III) — The most overall talent in the ODAC and a good class of freshmen--will they disappoint their faithful again? (general21111) — Pre-season numbers 11-20 ... picking numbers out of a hat would be just as good. The first week of the season will shake these positions out. (hardcorelaxfan) — One of the tough guys down south. (laxie) — Could be first in the ODAC or could be fourth. (litelax) — Maroons have the ability to score goals and may have the best goalie in the ODAC. (minkhoo) — Top dog in the ODAC this year. It will not be easy. The top four teams are just about equal and Va. Wesleyan and Randolph-Macon will make things interesting. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — A top ODAC goalie returns. Maybe this year, he plays hard and lets his actions speak for himself. Or will we be singing Bruce Hornsby's greatest hit? Can you name that tune?? Mason has a wicked shot, but will that be enough? Probably not. Look for the midfield to key their season, up or down. (valaxfan) — Lots of experience returning at midfield and defense, headlined by the goalie, a transfer from Hofstra. They did lose their top two players at attack. (Zapata) Amherst: Good, but not dominant. (2badknees) — Tough conference; always play Middlebury tough. Will be in the mix for the NESCAC AQ. (anksy) — Must beat Wesleyan to do well in NESCAC. Lord Jeffs have not beaten WES in the last 8 games. (boartusk) — Young last year, dangerous this year. (corkscrew) — The Lord Jeffs are the darkhorse in the NESCAC and maybe in all of D3. Other teams are stealing attention, but with 10 of their top 11 scorers back, two All-American defenders back, and their All-Conference goalie Cush Donelan, Amherst looks like they could be a force this season. Watch out. (D-III) — Defensively strong--lots of returning talent. (general21111) — I liked Amherst last year, and I like them again this year. Could over take both Middlebury and Tufts. (laxie) — Lord Jeffs have talent to win NESCAC, but so do at least four teams. (minkhoo) — #3 in the NESCAC this year and a strong #3. That is not to say that they will remain there. The NESCAC top 5 teams will probably beat up on one another this year; they all seem that strong. But Amherst should come out of the turmoil and make it to the playoffs. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Defense will have to continue improving and be strong for this team to contend in the NESCAC, the toughest conference, IMHO. (valaxfan) — I like Amherst's chances. They bring back a very experienced and solid squad that loss to Nazareth by 2 last and Middlebury by 1 goal. (Zapata) RIT: Good talent, but young? (2badknees) — 3rd team from Empire conference in my top 12. Need to upset Nazareth or Ithaca or both to have a shot come May. (anksy) — Lots of losses; may drop out of top 20 by season's end. (corkscrew) — Another tough team to figure out. Losing Molinari will be difficult, but they certainly still have a lot of talent from last year's very strong squad. (D-III) — Last year's losses were to Ithaca, Cortland, and Nazareth (2). A lot of talent returning. (general21111) — With Peluso anything is possible. (laxie) — Tigers will be very tough, but the E8 is very strong at the top. (minkhoo) — The difference between RIT with Molinari and without Molinari cannot be overlooked. Add to that the loss of their all time goal scorer Copeland and you have a lot to make up. They are well coached and play good defense and are certainly good enough as a team to cause E8 teams much concern. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Very good midfield, and Thering. (Zapata) Wesleyan: Experience as a team on offense, good goalie. Should be good year. (2badknees) — Returns 6 of top 7 scorers - 224 points. Offense has played together and work together. Defense will be solid and physical, forcing outside shots. (boartusk) — Good depth and speed. (corkscrew) — Another strong team up North. Return a solid goalie and most of their weapons on offense, including first-team All-American Glenn Adams. However, they lost their two All-American defenders and replacing them will be difficult. A top-15 team, but maybe not much more. We will know after the Ithaca game. (D-III) — Returns experienced performers at all positions--good test vs. Ithaca on March 11. (general21111) — The 3rd NESCAC representative. (litelax) — Cardinals are really good but the NESCAC is loaded. (minkhoo) — Wesleyan is right up there with the other NESCAC teams. They return 6 of their top seven scorers, but they might have lost a little more overall than Amherst and Tufts. They should make the NESCAC playoffs. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Team returns alot of firepower from a 14-3 squad, but beating the Panthers, like all other NESCAC teams, can they break through the pack to do that? Glenn Adams will have to be a great junior leader for the Cardinals to make their move. Not to mention their entire starting attack will return. Can Coach Raba do it this year? Plug for one of my best high school friends who played lax in the 80s here. Go Cardinals!! (valaxfan) — Return 6 of their top 7 scorers plus most of last years defensive unit. (Zapata) St. Lawrence: May be ready to move, but have to prove themselves. (2badknees) — On paper best team back in their conference. Tough conference; these teams seem to always knock each other off. (anksy) — has another Russell on offense (boartusk) — Stumbled at end of last year, will be hungry. (corkscrew) — Lost too much talent from '04, so the Saints do not look like a top-20 team. (D-III) — Some good talent returning, but I think they are a step behind RPI. (general21111) — Athletes everywhere. (laxie) — The second Upstate member in the top 20. (litelax) — Red Hawks and Saints are the top of the new name Liberty League. (minkhoo) — The defense returns almost entirely. This was their strength last year. There are strong building blocks for their offense in place. By the end of the year, they will be in the hunt for a playoff position. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Yes, the river runs through it, and replacing a few seniors on "O" is just the start. Can Mahoney get his defense pointed in the right direction? (valaxfan) — They lose their scoring machine, Bateman, but bring back some real studs on defense. Schedule has been lightened up a bit. (Zapata) Whittier: Weak schedule ... may have talent, but they need to be able to show it. (2badknees) — Change of schedule gives them more of a shot for an invite to the tourney. The D3 power of the West in recent years. (anksy) — Weak schedule, roster populated w/ players from weaker HS programs than in season's past: May do fast fade into mediocrity. (AO) — Canada recruiting seems to be ending. Can they do it with US players? (corkscrew) — Had to remove them from the top 20. Only one returning starter, and 25 total points are back for the Poets, not to mention an unproven freshman goalie. It is definitely a rebuilding year for Whittier. (D-III) — They were a mystery team even before word of the loss of returning players. OWU, Connecticut College, and Colorado Coll. are the "tough" games on schedule. (general21111) — Roster seems depleted from previous Poet teams, will need some ironmen to step up. The good news is the Pool B competition does not appear strong. (minkhoo) — Way too many seniors left this team as well as others in the off-season for them to be a top 10 team to start. New kids will have to contribute early to make a run at the end, but look for Jaffe to anchor another good defense. (valaxfan) Lynchburg: Coach Koudelka will have his guys ready to go ... only question is survival in the ODAC. (2badknees) — Solid program, tough conference, will need a few upsets to make the tourney. (anksy) — Defense returns; attack hit hard by graduation. New goalie will be tested often. (corkscrew) — The Hornets are always buzzing around the top 20. (laxie) — Not sure if the ODAC deserves 4, but who is the best???? (litelax) — Hornets have 9 games at home but only 3 seniors. Hard to predict greatness. (minkhoo) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Always a threat, but must find a way to play good defense in tight games to get over the hump, IMHO! (valaxfan) — Despite team scoring leader Mcculloch returning at attack, Lynchburg must find ways to make up for losing 3 of their top 4 scorers. (Zapata) Stevens: Youth. If all goes well, they stay up; if not ... well, let's hope all goes well. (2badknees) — Coming off a great season. No longer a pushover AQ team. Early test up in Cortland will give us a better read on them. (anksy) — Early part of 2005, Stevens will be overlooked/underestimated. (AO) — Getting a lot of credit for a team that lost so many top players. Goalie will be tough to replace along with top LSM and attackman. This team is the opposite of Ithaca: lost some top players and LOVES the AQ. (corkscrew) — This is a big season for the Ducks. Getting to the quarterfinals last year was a great accomplishment, but they graduated a deep senior class. This year they need to prove that the program is legit, and a steady top-20 team. They have enough returning talent and momentum to do so. (D-III) — Came on strong last year + good recruiting year = a program on the rise. (general21111) — I am going out on the limb here. Bryon Collins gets the best out of his players, and now he is getting some of the best players. Early test against Cortland should tell. (laxie) — An important season for the Ducks. Who among the young will step forward? (litelax) — Ducks build on breakthrough NCAA win and have upgraded the OOC schedule significantly. (minkhoo) — A strong senior class is gone. We will see this year if the program can maintain forward momentum. My guess is that they can but this year will be somewhat of a rebuilding one. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Two great leaders and scorers graduate from this team. Can they rebound from their huge loss to the Panthers? (valaxfan) — Lost way too many key players last year to repeat last year's rankings. (Zapata) Geneseo: THAT close [to being ranked]. (2badknees) — Lost A LOT to graduation; will be tough to repeat as SUNYAC tourney champs. (anksy) — Overlooked in early polls, Geneseo will build momentum and rise. (AO) — One good win in 2004 got them into the NCAA tourney. Can they do it again? (corkscrew) — Similar to Stevens, this is a program that needs a big year to legitimize themselves. Losing a lot of seniors after having a great season. (D-III) — The program has been coming on in recent years--second to Cortland in the SUNYAC. (general21111) — Two teams in the top 20 for the SUNYAC. Don't see a repeat of last year in the conference; however, they can play with many of the top teams. (laxie) — Blue Knights will be good, but it's hard to predict a repeat of last years upset in the SUNYAC. (minkhoo) — Geneseo got over the Cortland hump last year. Replacing Spenacchio will be tough. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Big win against the Red Dragons seemed to deflate the team against Middlebury, but they won a big game so the chip is off of them. Need new goalie to set the defense. (valaxfan) — Geneseo has steadily improved over the last four years, but may have tough time in achieving last year's results due to large departure of graduating players. (Zapata) Rensselaer: Should be the last team standing after the dust settles in the balanced Liberty League. Return their attack, a top midfielder, multiple starters on defense and their goalie. (D-III) — My dark horse pick of the preseason. A good mix of experience and youth. (general21111) — This conference is underrated, and these guys will prove it. (litelax) — Will a tougher OOC slate give the Red Hawks an edge in the Liberty? (minkhoo) — LoGiudice is a hand full at attack and is rejoined by much of last year's team. They will fight SLU and Hamilton for the Liberty title and could go beyond that into the NCAAs. (Richard) Franklin & Marshall: Good team ... survival in the Centennial a question. (2badknees) — Dips exposed several times last year. (corkscrew) — Quality program but lost some key players on offense. Could finish third in conference but will face challenge from McDaniel and Dickinson. (general21111) — Dips bounce back from subpar 2004. (minkhoo) — Welsh returns and key FO and some top freshmen who made significant contributions. (valaxfan) Bowdoin: Initially overshadowed by Tufts, Amherst, and Wesleyan. (AO) — Always ready. (corkscrew) — A team capable of beating anyone, but with their "murderers row" schedule it is hard to imagine they will be in the top-20 for any period of time this season. (D-III) — A young team last year that gave the rest of the NESCAC fits. With that year under their belts they should win a few more games this year. (Richard) — Although I am basing my choices this week strictly on the preseason poll, I saw, I cannot put Whittier at #10 based on what I've read on this forum. Everyone from 11-20 gets bumped up one. (twoin) — Fitzgerald has put together impressive back to back seasons scoring, but will they be able to hold teams at game's end to bring back a winning season? (valaxfan) Messiah: Falcons should stay in the top 20 this year. Maturing team in a maturing conference. Linebaugh and crew can be AWESOME. (2badknees) — Another hard-nosed outfit that could crack the top 20. (general21111) — They were good last year and maybe better in '05. (litelax) — Time for the Falcons to go beyond an NCAA berth and get a win. (minkhoo) — Linebaugh "The Aviator" returns but will that be enough. (valaxfan) — Like Geneseo and Stevens, Messiah has lots of holes to fill. (Zapata) Dickinson: Red Devils moving up. If they can survive the Centennial meat grinder, they will do well. (2badknees) — Everyone returns from a solid team that should have beaten Gettysburg in CC tournament. (corkscrew) — Ready to break into the top 20. They actually might be getting a little too much preseason hype, because it will be hard for them to replace their starting close defense. Regardless, they are going to be a solid team. (D-III) — Good returning talent and favorable schedule. This team could finish second in the Centennial. (general21111) — The Centennial will step back a little this year. And Dickinson has been taking steps forward in the last two years. This year could be their year to make the big move. It would not be a surprise. (Richard) Cabrini: Best of the PAC ... improving. (2badknees) — These guys will be more than respectable. (litelax) — Don't put too much stock in Cabrini's loss to G-Burg in the dance last year. This team is better than that, and they return just about their entire team. They will be in the NCAAs this year and should get beyond the first round. (Richard) — Had a great year except the last game against the Bullets. Will that demoralizing loss stay with them or give them motivation to make amends this year? Most of the scoring is back, but will have to replace their goalie with either former or current freshmen. (valaxfan) — Very experienced squad that ended up 20th ranked nationally. Should only be better this year. (Zapata) Hartwick: Can score with Poole, Debrossey, and Prescott. Can the defense stop people? (laxie) — Hartwick is very deep at midfield. Their defense was inconsistent last year and at times was too aggressive. Over the course of the season they had one man in the box for better than two games. Look for that to improve this year. It will give their young goalie a better chance. Scoring goals will not be a problem. (Richard) Mary Washington: Solid team returns along with tough out of conference schedule. (corkscrew) — This team will pull at least one upset this year. (general21111) — Salisbury forces everyone to get better in the CAC. (litelax) — Eagles may not be able to match Gulls in the CAC but could be a strong #2. (minkhoo) — Up and coming program that is primed to take off except for Salisbury being in the way. Look for this team to upset some of the known VA teams this year. (valaxfan) McDaniel: Young, but I like their toughness. (laxie) Colorado College: There's a feeling I get when I look to the West. Could be a big surprise in '05. Return nearly their entire team. (D-III) — Almost every one returns from a squad that did very well last year. (Zapata) St. Mary's: Young in 2004. Many returners back; dangerous team. (corkscrew) — Will battle with Mary Washington for second in the Capital. (general21111) Wooster: My sleeper team this year to crack the top 20! (anksy) — Wooster returns 7 players who made 1st and 2nd All Conference. Their first real test is game #1 against Geneseo. (Zapata) Oneonta: Hamilton: Could be a surprise team in 2005 like they were in 2003, but for now remain outside the top 20 until they prove otherwise. (D-III) Ohio Wesleyan: OWU was a very young team last year and played some very good games. With a year's experience behind them, these guys will be ready to climb back into the thick of things. (Richard) — John Schlege has to lead this team back to the top of the NCAC before they can be considered for real. (valaxfan) — Strong attack, headed by Schlegel, solid midfielders but questionable defense. (Zapata) Other Teams Pollsters Considered (and comments, if any) Randolph-Macon: Team on the move ... must survive in the ODAC, but have the means to do it now. (2badknees) Montclair State: Eastern Connecticut: Western New England: On the doorstep in the Pilgrim, a solid up and coming team, but not quite top-20 caliber yet. They have a decent out of conference schedule and will get their chances against some of New England's elite teams. (D-III) — WNEC has been on the rise for the last few years. The New England ECAC championship last year was an indication of what will be this year's success. (Richard) Widener: Endicott:

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