🥍 In Today’s Newsletter. Lynchburg Placed On Probation After Improper Awarding of Financial Aid. Tufts Tops USA Lacrosse Preseason Rankings. Conference Previews

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The University of Lynchburg was fined and placed on probation for a year by the NCAA for violations in the awarding of financial aid to student-athletes.

“Specifically, the institution improperly awarded $155,325 in financial aid on 57 occasions across multiple sports during the 2022–23 academic year. The violations resulted from aid awarded as part of the institution’s “Scholarship Days” competition where all admitted students were invited to campus to earn additional financial aid. Competitors were interviewed and scored based on set criteria, but athletic participation was not considered. These “Scholarship Days” traditionally took place in both the fall and spring semesters, but due to recruitment timelines, student-athletes often participated in the fall while non-student-athletes participated in greater numbers in the spring.

The parties agreed the penalties include public reprimand and censure, one year of probation, a fine of $1,500 and a Level II review by the Committee on Financial Aid.”

No great surprise here.

Tufts, the two-time defending national champion, are the preseason favorite to repeat as USA Lacrosse released its 2026 rankings on Friday.

The Jumbos have won 28 straight games and look to reach the national final for the fourth consecutive season.

Christopher Newport and Salisbury out of the Coastal Lacrosse Conference follow behind Tufts, while Dickinson, last season’s surprise national runnerup, is fourth.

The New England Small College Athletic Conference remains the deepest conference in Division III men’s lacrosse as NESCAC teams occupy five spots in the annual USA Lacrosse preseason poll. Three other conferences - the Centennial, Liberty League, and Old Dominion - also placed three teams in the top 20.

» USA Lacrosse Top 10. 1-Tufts, 2-Christopher Newport, 3-Salisbury, 4-Dickinson, 5-Bowdoin, 6-Washington and Lee, 7-RIT, 8-RPI, 9-Gettysburg, 10-Wesleyan.

» Conference Call. NESCAC (5), Centennial (3), Liberty (3), ODAC (3), CLC (2), MAC Commonwealth (2), MAC Freedom (1), SUNYAC (1).

“The York Spartans were selected as the favorite to repeat as champions in the 2026 conference preseason poll conducted among the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth men’s lacrosse coaches. York collected all seven first-place votes from opposing coaches for a total of 49 points. ”

D3Lacrosse Preseason All-MACC Team. A-Davis Fisher, Sr., York, 35-61-96; A-Gavin Gossen, Jr., Stevenson, 49-39-88; A-Max Racich, Sr., Stevenson, 55-19-74; A-Bobby Berg, Sr., Messiah, 45-26-71; M-Cory Bergmann, Jr., York, 46-28-74; M-Hunter Bryant, Jr., Stevenson, 35-11-46; M-Coleton Mahorney, Sr., York, 29-16-45; M-Brett Gougler, Sr., Eastern, 30-13-43; D-Camden Miller, Jr., Stevenson, 21 CT; D-Sean Dendall, Sr. Eastern, 36 CT; D-Jeff Mueller, Jr., York, 40 GB; D-David Gross, Sr., Messiah, 16 CT; LSM-Nik Leahan, Sr., Stevenson, 50 GB; SSDM-Erik Pearl, Jr., York, 36 GB; FO-Connor Dunay, Jr., Stevenson, 49.7%; GK-Nash Womack, Sr., York, 53.1%

Preseason Favorite. York
Preseason Player of the Year. David Fisher, Sr., A, York

“The Stevens Ducks were selected as the favorite to repeat as champions in the 2026 conference preseason poll conducted among the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom men’s lacrosse coaches. The Ducks collected all seven first-place votes from opposing coaches for a total of 49 points.”

D3Lacrosse Preseason All-MACF Team. A-Matthew Pergola, Sr., Stevens, 55-25-80; A-Conor Bevan, Sr., Misericordia, 40-24-64; A-Jake Hurd, Sr., DeSales, 39-21-60; M-Jackson Penn, Jr., Stevens, 11-3-14; M-Mark Winkler, Jr., DeSales, 24-12-36; M-Ty Murawski, Jr., Misericordia, 20-16-36; M-Ethan Keenan, Jr., Lebanon Valley, 27-7-34; D-Luke Lesizza, Sr., Stevens, 32 CT; D-Tyalor Wikert, Sr., DeSales, 40 CT; D-Luke Cifuentes, Jr., Stevens, 38 GB; LSM-Ryan Gannon, Sr., Arcadia, 45 GB; SSDM-Gavin Lenart, Sr., Arcadia, 44 GB; FO-Will Giarusso, Sr., Stevens, 57.7%; GK-Nate Hudgins, Sr., Arcadia, 55.5%

Preseason Favorite. Stevens
Preseason Player of the Year. Matthew Pergola, Sr., A, Stevens

“Oswego has been voted No. 1 in the 2026 SUNYAC women's lacrosse preseason poll. The poll is voted on by the 10 conference coaches. Cortland is ranked No. 2 and New Paltz follows at No. 3.”

D3Lacrosse Preseason All-SUNYAC Team. A-Lexi Atwater, Sr., New Paltz, 67-6-73; A-Ava Padilla, Jr., New Paltz, 9-45-54; A-Jayla Thompson, So., Potsdam, 49-7-56; M-Morgan Atwater, Sr., New Paltz, 41-8-49; M-Lindsey Townes, Sr., Oneonta, 46-7-53; M-Alexis Hill, Sr., Oswego, 56-8-64; SD-Lexi Caron, Jr., Cortland, 27 CT; D-Aubri Greene, So., Oswego, 18-0-18, 46 DC; D-Emma Pagano, So., Cortland, 13 CT; D-Rachel Rempe, Sr., Cortland, 15 CT, 74 DC; D-Saide Zemanick, Sr., Oswego, 25 CT; GK-Kimora Swamp, So., Potsdam, 44.6%

Preseason Favorite. Oswego
Preseason Player of the Year. Lexi Atwater, Sr., A, New Paltz

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