One Point Separates Hornets from Maroons
FOREST, Va. --- Just one point separates first
and second place in the 2012 ODAC Men's Lacrosse Preseason
Poll. Both Lynchburg College and Roanoke College picked up
four first place votes, but the Hornets received one more point
than the Maroons (46-45) to stand atop the annual coach's
survey. Hampden-Sydney College (35) and Washington and Lee
University (33) are just two tallies apart for third.
The Maroons won their second straight and ODAC-best 16th overall
conference title in 2011, but that would be just the beginning of
their postseason journey. RC took down Colorado College,
25-5, in its opening round contest of the NCAA Division III
Tournament. Thereafter, the tourney was a gauntlet of
highly-ranked teams. Roanoke defeated #12 Gettysburg College,
15-9, in the second round, setting up a quarterfinals showdown with
#3 Stevenson University. The Maroons shocked the Mustangs,
13-12, thanks to a goal with 0:14 to play by attacker Richard
Lachlan. RC's run ended in the semifinals when they fell to
top-ranked and eventual national champion Salisbury University,
16-7.
The 2012 preseason polls from various national outlets have both
Roanoke and Lynchburg highly ranked. RC is slated third by
both Lacrosse Magazine and the United States
Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA), while Inside
Lacrosse's 2012 Face-off Yearbook has the Maroons tabbed
fourth. LC chimes in rated 15th by both Lacrosse
Magazine and the USILA, but Inside Lacrosse has the Hornets
perched in the eighth position.
Lynchburg (13-6 overall, 5-2 in ODAC play in 2011) and
reigning ODAC Coach of the Year, Steve Koudelka, welcome back a
league-high eight all-conference selections, four each from the
first and second teams. Those from the All-ODAC First Team
include attacker Dylan Hoff (37 goals, 20 assists, 22 ground
balls), short-stick specialist Jeff Schwartz (2 G, 1 A, 115 GB,
195-303 on face-offs, .644 face-off pct.), defender Joe Lisicky (8
G, 71 GB, 38 caused turnovers) and goalkeeper Franc Cook (7.17
goals-against-average, 164 saves, .592 save pct.). Attack Ben
Sauer (16 G, 15 A, 21 GB), midfielders Max Voumard (27 G, 8 A, 23
GB) and Andrew Wilfong (28 G, 7 A, 48 GB) and defender Jon Lombardo
(1 A, 39 GB, 18 CT) all earned All-ODAC Second Team honors in
2011.
Roanoke (17-4, 7-0) will be without 2011 ODAC Player of the Year
and ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Justin
Tuma, but four all-conference standouts are set to return.
Leading the way is first team attacker Jeff Keating, who led the
ODAC in points (86), goals (56), assists (30) and man-up goals
(10). He's joined by second teamer Lachlan (12 A, 27 GB),
who's big goal against Stevenson was just one of 56, tying him with
Keating for the league lead. Also back are attacker Mike
Hayden (28 G, 25 A, 26 GB) and defender Eric Long (43 GB, 27 CT)
from the All-ODAC Honorable Mention Team.
Hampden-Sydney (12-5, 4-3) welcomes back all but one of its seven
all-conference honorees from 2011. Attacker Micah Keller (36
G, 13 A, 30 GB) and midfielder Carter Mavromatis (26 G, 31 GB), who
tied RC's Keating with 30 assists, earned first team accolades a
year ago. They're joined by a pair of second teamers in
long-stick specialist Nate Norbo (1 G, 2 A, 47 GB, 16 CT) and
defender Andrew Pritzlaff (1 G, 29 GB, 15 CT) and two more Tigers
from the honorable mention squad in short-stick specialist Brad
Mostowy (3 G, 2 A, 133 GB, 194-336 F/O, .577 F/O%) and goalkeeper
Cody Hornung (7.89 GAA, 133 SV, .547 SV%).
Washington and Lee (9-8, 5-2) will be looking for several
returnees and some new faces to lead the unit as just one of five
all-conference honorees returns to Lexington. First team
defender Joe LaSala (22 GB), who finished third in the ODAC with 37
caused turnovers, leads a defense that surrendered just 120 goals
for a 7.06 goals-against-average, both top marks in the ODAC.
Randolph-Macon (8-7, 2-5) returns all six of its all-conference
selections along with reigning ODAC Rookie of the Year, midfielder
Justin Butler (25 G, 3 A, 20 GB, 10 CT). Joining him from the
second team are attacker and leading scorer Jake Leddy (26 G, 21 A,
17 GB) and goalkeeper Jason Crawford (9.68 GAA, 143 SV, .565
SV%). Four players return from the honorable mention team
including attacker Tyler Midwinter (21 G, 15 A, 25 GB), who tied
for the league lead with 10 man-up goals, midfielders Patrick Egan
(18 G, 7 A, 15 GB) and Tim Rowe (17 G, 1 A, 19 GB), and long-stick
specialist Joe Liberto (2 A, 51 GB, 28 CT).
Virginia Wesleyan (8-8, 3-4) returns three-of-five all-league
athletes, led by second team attacker Adam Nycz (39 G, 13 A, 42
GB). He's joined by an honorable mention duo in attacker
Travis Puls (34 G, 13 A, 28 GB) and short-stick specialist Mike
Tibbs (4 G, 3 A, 46 GB, 16 CT).
Guilford (9-7, 2-5) won nine games under now second-year head
coach Tom Carmean in 2011, marking the most wins for the program
since it posted 10 victories in 1992. Back to help continue
the Quakers climb in the standings is honorable mention midfielder
Greg Nash (17 G, 11 A, 21 GB).
Randolph (1-12, 0-7) is under new leadership in 2012 as Lynchburg
alum Andy Sinclair takes hold of the WildCats' coaching
reins. Midfielder and leading scorer Stephen Allman (11 G, 12
A, 30 GB) adds punch to the fourth year program's offense as
Randolph opens its third season of ODAC play.
Listed below is the 2012 ODAC Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll.
For more information, visit any of the participating schools’
websites, or go to the ODAC’s home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.
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2012 ODAC MEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL (#) Denotes First Place Votes |
|
1. Lynchburg (4) | 46 pts. |
2. Roanoke (4) | 45 pts. |
3. Hampden-Sydney | 35 pts. |
4. Washington and Lee | 33 pts. |
5. Randolph-Macon | 24 pts. |
6. Virginia Wesleyan | 21 pts. |
7. Guilford | 12 pts. |
8. Randolph | 8 pts. |