FOREST, Va. --- ODAC men's lacrosse teams got off to a fast start in 2020 with 42 combined wins at a .600 winning percentage when play was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each team had at least two wins under their belts, a momentum building note that they hope carries into this season. The league's coaches took their turn at benchmarking this year's table in the 2021 ODAC Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll.

The University of Lynchburg stands atop the annual survey having collected 99 total points powered by nine first place votes. Washington and Lee University garnered the remaining two top nods on the way to 91 markers. Hampden-Sydney College caps a top-three that has separated from the pack with 82 points.

Randolph-Macon College and Roanoke College sit deadlocked for fourth position with 69 points apiece.

STORYLINES: PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
The 2020 season was abruptly halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic with several developing storylines that teams will look reestablish as they open play in 2020.

• Rare Air for Randolph-Macon | Speaking of building upon momentum from 2020, Randolph-Macon was in the midst of arguably its best start in program history. The Yellow Jackets rattled off seven straight wins before play was halted, making them one of just three squads in Division III to finish the season unbeaten with that many victories. The others were Salisbury University and Ursinus College. Can R-MC start off 2021 in similar fashion?
• Wins in Hand | While Randolph-Macon -- along with Salisbury and Ursinus -- open 2021 with the longest active winning streaks in the country, six other ODAC teams start play with a chance to extend a winning streak into the previous season. Virginia Wesleyan won its final two games of 2020, while Ferrum, Guilford, Lynchburg, Randolph, and Roanoke each were victorious in their last games before the shutdown.
• Returning All-Americans | Nine ODAC players picked up All-American laurels by Inside Lacrosse at the close of the 2020 season. Three of those players return this year. Lynchburg defense Tyler Gallagher was tabbed a Second Team All-American. The 2020 ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year is joined by a pair of face-off men in Bridgewater's Mason Gauntt and Hampden-Sydney's Jake Brummett. Both received Honorable Mention All-American recognition.
• More than One in the NCAA Tournament | Before last season's hiatus, the last time the ODAC didn't see more than one team carry the league banner into the NCAA Division III Tournament was 2014. Since 2015, at least two conference schools enjoyed national berths including an ODAC record-tying three teams in 2018 with Lynchburg, Roanoke, and Washington and Lee dotting the field. Despite a reduced field size in 2021, ODAC teams will look continue the conference's strong representation.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING NATIONALLY ENTERING 2021

• As has become customary, ODAC teams feature favorably in some preseason rankings by national outlets. Four ODAC schools rank or received votes towards the USILA/Warrior and New Balance 2021 Men's Coaches Preseason Division III Poll. Lynchburg heads the list of with a 12th-place rating, while Washington and Lee sits 20th. Hampden-Sydney (4) and Randolph-Macon (2) are among 17 additional schools to receive votes towards the top-20.
• Lynchburg and Washington and Lee also appear in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Men's Preseason Top-20 as published by US Lacrosse Magazine. The Hornets are slotted 13th while the Generals rank 19th.
• Salisbury University is the #1 ranked team in both the USILA and US Lacrosse polls.

PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2021
Several standouts return to each squad in 2021. Listed below are a few players to keep your eyes on this season with a more in-depth look at each team in the capsules found at the bottom of this article.

   ATTACKMEN

• Eric Husselbaugh, BC | 2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team and Honorable Mention All-American; 169 career points on 107 goals and 62 assists; 2nd in the ODAC in assists (17) and 4th in points (35) in 2020
• Jack Sheehan, FC | 3 or more points in 6-of-7 games played in 2020
• Connor Sweeney, GC | led the ODAC in assists (21), 2nd in points (41), and 3rd in goals (20) in 2020
• Derek Zacatenco, GC | 3rd in the ODAC in goals (20) and 5th in shots (57) in 2020
• Jared Medwar, H-SC | 2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team; 3rd in the ODAC in shot pct. (.593) and 6th in points (27) in 2020
• Colin Dean, LYN | 2019 All-ODAC 1st Team; 102 career points on 56 goals and 46 assists
• Trammel Robinson, LYN | 96 career points on 72 goals and 24 assists
• Jake Helsley, RAND | 10 points (6 g, 4 a) in 1st collegiate season in 2020
• Andrew Tiffey, R-MC | led D3 in shooting pct. in 2020 (.667); 78 career points on 44 goals and 34 assists
• Chris Baker, SU | 5th in the ODAC in goals (19) and 6th in points (27) in 2020
• Stuart Greenspon, W&L | 19 points (12 g, 7 a) in 2020
• Taylor Witherell, W&L | 77 career points on 58 goals and 19 assists

   MIDFIELDERS

• Brennan Sweeney, GC | led the ODAC in man-up goals (7) and 2nd in goals (22) and assists (17) in 2020
• Sean Duffy, H-SC |2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team and ROY; 13 points (9 g, 4 a) in 2020
• Jack Hayden, H-SC | 2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team; 26 points (15 g, 11 a) in 2020
• Derek Marsilio, R-MC | 45 career points and 32 career ground balls
• Ethan Caldwell, RC | 19 points on 11 goals and 8 assists in 1st collegiate season in 2020
• George Gilbert, RC | 22 points (13 g, 9 a) in 24 career games for RC; transferred from Bates prior to the 2019 season
• Logan Clingerman, SU | 23 points (17 g, 6 a) including 4 man-up goals in 2020
• Ben Mulholland, W&L | 2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team; 60 career points on 47 goals and 13 assists with 29 ground balls

   DEFENSEMEN

• Austin Rohweder, GC | led the ODAC in caused turnovers (19) in 2020
• Henry Hitt, H-SC | 2019 All-ODAC 3rd Team; 13 GBs and 3 CTs in 2020
• Canevin Wallace, H-SC | 2x All-ODAC; 2018 3rd Team; 2019 2nd Team; 12 GBs and 9 CTs in 2020
• Chris Darminio, LYN | 5th in the ODAC in caused turnovers (10) in 2020
• Tyler Gallagher, LYN | 3x All-ODAC; 2017-18 3rd Team; 2019 1st Team; 88 career GBs and 60 career CTs
• Scott Ruelle, R-MC | 18 GBs and 7 CTs in 2020
• Sam Balch, RC | 2019 All-ODAC; 51 career GBs and 29 career CTs
• Jason Morgan, SU | 2019 All-ODAC 3rd Team; 55 career GBs and 25 career CTs
• Thomas Potter, VWU | 2019 All-ODAC 3rd Team; 4th in the ODAC with 11 CTs in 2020; 115 career GBs and 35 career CTs

   SPECIALISTS

• Mason Gauntt, BC | 2019 All-ODAC 3rd Team at face-off; 2nd in the ODAC in GBs (67) and 3rd in face-offs won (90-of-125) in 2020
• Jake Brummett, H-SC | 2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team at face-off; led the ODAC in GBs (76) and face-offs won (95-of-142) in 2020
• Zach Miller, RAND | 10th in the ODAC in face-offs won (47-of-86) in 2020
• Nathan Sheirburn, VWU | combo F/O and midfielder; 5th in the ODAC in GBs (34) and 9th in face-offs won (49-of-82) in 2020; 15 points (7 g, 8 a) in 2020

   GOALKEEPERS
   Goalkeeper Minimums | played in 33% of team goalkeeper minutes (GA, GAA, Save Pct.)

• Patrick Martinek, FC | led the ODAC in goalkeeper minutes (417:12) and saves (89) and 3rd in save pct. (.582) in 2020
• Tommy Kane, R-MC | led the ODAC in fewest goals allowed (36) and 2nd in GAA (7.43) in 2020
• Kyle Leeming, VWU | led the ODAC in GAA (7.27) and save pct. (.645) in 2020
• Jack Taylor, W&L | 2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team; career 8.03 GAA with 355 saves and a .560 save pct. in 2,085:31 career time in the cage

THE SCHEDULE AND TOURNAMENT

• The ODAC conference schedule is unaltered from previous seasons with teams slated to play 10 league games against other league opponents.
• As is consistent with all ODAC sports, the number of non-conference games played will be determined by each school. The maximum number of games -- conference plus non-conference -- remains at 18 events.
• The 2021 ODAC Men's Lacrosse Tournament will still feature seven teams, but the format will alter slightly. The first round will be competed on Sunday, May 2 at the #6 seed. The quarterfinals will feature at the #3 and #4 seeds on Tuesday, May 4. The semifinals will be hosted by the #1 and #2 seeds on Thursday, May 6. The championship will be played at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, May 8.
• The selections for the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament will be announced on Sunday, May 9.

Listed below is the 2021 ODAC Men's Lacrosse Coaches Poll. Be sure to check out the preseason capsules for more details on each team.

For more information on ODAC men's lacrosse, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

2021 ODAC MEN'S LACROSSE COACHES POLL