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January 31, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

Welcome to D3 Lacrosse, devoted to NCAA Division III men’s and women’s lacrosse

🥍 Friday, Friday. Gotta Get Down on Friday. Let’s go. The 2025 season begins on Saturday

Headlines
🐘 Jumbos Top USILA Preseason Poll
🥍 USA South Men’s Preview
🔴 Liberty League Women’s Preview
📊 Conference Preseason Polls
📆 Saturday’s Schedule
☕️ See You Latte!

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TOP STORY
1. Jumbos Top USILA Preseason Poll

Defending national champion Tufts comes in at No. 1 in the annual USILA preseason men’s poll. Salisbury, RIT, Washington and Lee and Christopher Newport round out the coaches’ top five.

» Breakdown. Inside Lacrosse breaks down its top 20 teams.

» Complete USILA Poll

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USA SOUTH PREVIEW (M)
2. Can Falcons Three-Peat?

Pfeiffer captured its second consecutive USA South men’s lacrosse title a year ago with a high-scoring 20-17 victory against Piedmont in the final.

The Falcons edged Centre, 13-12, in the first round of the NCAAs before falling to Lynchburg, 24-8, in the second round.

The conference welcomes three new coaches - Scott Dangel (Brevard), Kevin Riordan (LaGrange), and Troy Humphrey (William Peace).

Returning Statistical Leaders

Brevard (2-14, 0-8) | Gage Khayat (Jr, 17-5-22), Drew Pond (Sr, 7-9-16)
Goalie: Jack Hicks (Sr, 13.94 / 50.7%)
Greensboro (6-9, 2-5) | Justin Barry (Jr, 37-13-50), Leo Ringelberg (Sr, 16-8-24)
Goalie: N/A
Huntingdon (4-12, 2-6) | Kelcey Marston (Jr, 25-13-38), Tristan Dial (Jr, 11-2-13)
Goalie: N/A
LaGrange (7-10, 3-4) | Nicholas Murciano (Jr, 10-2-12), Aidan Psalmonds (Jr, 7-1-8)
Goalie: N/A
Methodist (9-8, 5-3) | Cy Horner (Sr, 32-12-44), Ryan Kavounis (5th, 30-13-43)
Goalie: N/A
Pfeiffer (12-7, 7-0) | Zach DeFazio (Grad, 63-11-74), Zach Gignac (Jr, 35-18-53)
Goalie: Oliver Buch (So, 11.42 / 47.9%)
Piedmont (14-3, 6-1) | Isaac Harrington (Jr, 49-6-55), Will Isley (Jr, 19-17-36)
Goalie: Mike Eisele (Jr, 3.95 / 68.0%)
Southern Virginia (8-11, 6-2) | Clay Haacke (Jr, 58-12-70), Tyson Mauri (So, 17-50-67)
Goalie: Jac Lightfoot (So, 15.04 / 47.8%)
William Peace (3-7, 1-7) | Jamar Bell (So, 31-10-41), William English (Jr, 14-19-33)
Goalie: Dylan Sullivan (So, 12.88 / 51.6%)

🥍 D3Lacrosse’s Preseason All-USA South
A-Zach DeFazio (Gr, Pfeiffer); A-Tyson Mauri (So, Southern Virginia);
A-Isaac Harrington (Jr, Piedmont). M-Zach Gignac (Jr, Pfeiffer); M-Clay Haacke (Jr, Southern Virginia); M-Ryan Kavounis (5th, Methodist). D-Andrew Pagano (Sr, Piedmont); D-Eric Fewell (Sr, Piedmont), D-Brandon Luft (Jr, Pfeiffer). LSM-Jake Bandler (Jr, Methodist). SSDM-JT Cutrer (Sr, Southern Virginia). FO-Kaleb Simpson (Jr, Methodist). GK-Oliver Buch (So, Pfeiffer).

LIBERTY LEAGUE PREVIEW (W)
3. Can Bombers Repeat in 2025?

Ithaca captured its first Liberty League championship since joining the league with an
11-10 overtime triumph over William Smith. It was the Bombers’ first conference title of any kind since 2008.

IC and the Herons qualified for the NCAA tournament. After downing Shenandoah in the second round, the Bombers were ousted in the round of 16 by Pomona-Pitzer, 17-9. William Smith took out MIT, Gettysburg and Colby in its early-round matchups before its run was ended in the semifinals by Salisbury, 13-10.

The Liberty League welcomes one new coach to the fold as Tom Ryan takes over at St. Lawrence.

Bard (2-15, 0-10). Izzi Popolizio (Sr, 22-24-46), Maggy Peyton (Sr, 24-8-32).
Goalie: Lexie Blackburn (Jr, 17.24 / 36.7%)
Clarkson (8-8, 3-7). Madelynn Barnum (Grad, 66-13-79), Makenna Cassin (So, 30-2-32)
Goalie: Jennaca McGill (Jr, 12.82 / 33.9%)
Ithaca (18-2, 10-0). Lily Cody (Jr, 45-16-61), Lexi Kellish (Grad, 22-10-32)
Goalie: N/A
RIT (6-9, 2-8). Serafina Kiselgof (Jr, 55-11-66), Lily DePalma (Sr, 31-9-40)
Goalie: Ellie Ruddy (Jr, 13.17 / 37.1%)
Rensselaer (8-8, 6-4). Ella Graff (Sr, 39-4-43), Lauren DeLeo (Sr, 22-13-35)
Goalie: Jenny Canfield (Grad, 11.99 / 44.2%)
Rochester (9-9, 5-5). Alyssa Gorny (Jr, 51-19-70), Gracie Giannettino (Sr, 39-28-67)
Goalie: N/A
St. Lawrence (5-12, 4-6). Neve Ley (Sr, 24-6-30), Jessica LaPlaca (So, 21-8-29)
Goalie: N/A
Skidmore (9-9, 6-4). Jillian Lockwood (Sr, 34-5-39), Phoebe Ross (So, 2-33-35)
Goalie: N/A
Union (11-6, 8-2). Gillian Joseph (So, 46-6-52), Greta Maurer (Sr, 23-25-48)
Goalie: Sydney Widlitz (Jr, 11.31 / 41.7%)
Vassar (3-12, 2-8). Tess Billings (Jr, 24-8-32), Emilia DiLiberto (So, 20-5-25)
Goalie: N/A
William Smith (20-4, 9-1). Natalie Daniels (Jr, 78-13-91), Katherine Murray (28-15-43)
Goalie: Maura Smeader (Sr, 7.58 / 48.5%)

🥍 D3Lacrosse Preseason All-Liberty League
A-Alyssa Gorny (Jr, Rochester); A-Gillian Joseph (So, Union); A-Serafina Kiselgof (Jr, RIT). M-Madelynn Barnum (Gr, Clarkson); M-Natalie Daniels (Jr, William Smith);
M-Lily Cody (Jr, Ithaca); M-Lauren DeLeo (Sr, Rensselaer); M-Greta Maurer (Sr, Union). D-Katherine Killian (So, RIT); D-Janey Sypeck (So, William Smith); D-Maggie Mandel (Gr, Ithaca); D-Haley Sundstrom (Sr, St. Lawrence); D-Kat Cama (Sr, RPI);
D-Kaitlyn Russell, (Sr, Ithaca). GK-Maura Smeader (Sr, William Smith)

CONFERENCES
4. Preseason Polls

It’s conference preseason poll time. That time where some coaches put some thought into making their annual selections, while others opt to list teams in their 2024 order of standing.

Nonetheless, here we go.

• USA South (W). “The USA South Athletic Conference's women's lacrosse coaches have released their 2025 preseason poll. Meredith was placed atop the rankings thanks to receiving 80 total points and eight of the possible ten first place votes. | Complete Poll

• USA South (M). The USA South Athletic Conference's men's lacrosse coaches have released their 2025 preseason poll. Pfeiffer was placed atop the rankings thanks to receiving 63 total points and seven of the possible nine first-place votes. Complete Poll

• Coast-to-Coast (W). Salisbury headlines the 2025 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll following a vote of the league's head coaches. The Sea Gulls totaled nine points and three first-place votes to top the rankings. | Complete Poll

• Coastal Lacrosse (M). “Defending champion Salisbury has been predicted to repeat as Coastal Lacrosse Champions in 2025, based on preseason polling of the league's seven head coaches. The Sea Gulls garnered the maximum allowed six first-place votes.” | Complete Poll

• MAC Commonwealth (W). The York College Spartans were selected as the favorite in the 2025 conference preseason poll conducted among the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth women’s lacrosse coaches. | Complete Poll

• MAC Commonwealth (M). The Stevenson Mustangs and the York Spartans were selected as the favorites in the 2025 conference preseason poll conducted among the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth men’s lacrosse coaches. | Complete Poll

• MAC Freedom (W). The Stevens Ducks were selected as the favorite in the 2025 conference preseason poll conducted among the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom women's lacrosse coaches. | Complete Poll

• MAC Freedom (M). The Stevens Ducks were selected as the favorite in the 2025 conference preseason poll conducted among the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom men’s lacrosse coaches. | Complete Poll

• SUNYAC (W). Cortland takes the No. 1 spot in the 2025 SUNYAC women's lacrosse preseason poll. The poll is voted on by the 10 conference coaches. New Paltz is ranked No. 2 and Oswego follows at No. 3. | Complete Poll

• SUNYAC (M). Cortland takes the No. 1 spot in the 2025 SUNYAC Men's Lacrosse preseason poll, voted on by the eight conference coaches. Potsdam was voted No. 2, followed by Oswego. | Complete Poll

GAMES
5. Saturday’s Men’s Schedule 🥍

• SCAD-Savannah at Southern Virginia, noon ET

• Eastern at Salisbury, 1 p.m. ET

• Carthage vs. Hendrix, 2 p.m. ET

• Oglethorpe at Shorter, 4 p.m. ET

1 THING
6. See You Latte

“Starbucks plans to cut about 30% of food and drink options from its menu by late 2025, as part of the chain's plan to change its vibe and stem the loss of customers across U.S. stores.

This week, the coffee giant also began offering ceramic mugs and free coffee and tea refills for people who want to stay in for a drink. And the chain is once again letting people serve themselves cream or sweetener, bringing back the condiment bar that had gone away during the pandemic.”

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