🥍 In Today’s Newsletter. NESCAC Takes Four of Top Five Spots In Preseason IWLCA Poll. NESCAC, Empire 8 men’s previews. Liberty League women’s preview. Mastering the Claw Machine.

🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Levitating. Dua Lipa

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The New England Small College Athletic Conference remains the dominant force in Division III women’s lacrosse as NESCAC teams occupy the top three spots and four of the top five in the annual IWLCA preseason coaches poll.

Four-time defending national champion Middlebury continues as the team to beat, followed by national runnerup Tufts. Colby, who reached the national semifinals a year ago, holds down the No. 3 position, followed by Gettysburg and Wesleyan.

Franklin & Marshall comes in at No. 6, while neighboring rival York is seventh. Salisbury, Washington and Lee, and Denison round out the preseason top 10.

The NESCAC claimed six spots in the preseason top 25, while the Centennial, Liberty, MAC Commonwealth and NJAC also had multiple teams in the poll.

» Receiving Votes: Sewanee (17-1), John Carroll (15-3). Please note that only teams within a 10-point margin of the No. 25-ranked team will be acknowledged as receiving votes. If no teams are listed as receiving votes, it indicates that no teams fell within the 10-point margin for that week.

» Conference Call. NESCAC (6), Centennial (3), Liberty (2), MACC (2), NJAC (2), C2C (1), E8 (1), Independent (1), Landmark (1), MACF (1), NCAC (1), NEWMAC (1), ODAC (1), SCIAC (1), WIAC (1).

Tufts remains the top dog in the top conference in Division III as the Jumbos look for a three-peat national title in 2026. Senior A Jack Regnery may be the top player in the country and returns to lead the attack after registering 78-25-103 a year ago. Garrett Kelly is the headliner at midfield, while Ben Frisoli is a top defender.

Bowdoin may be the Jumbos’ toughest challenger with the return of A Casey Ryan and M Chris Berry who combined for 61 goals and 80 assists last season. D Jack Pyne is the leader of the Polar Bear defense. Wesleyan also returns firepower in A Ben Burns and M James Bailey, while GK Conor Selfridge may be the conference’s top stopper.

Keep an eye on Bates with the return of FO Miles Schmidt and D Benjamin Kondner.

D3Lacrosse Preseason All-NESCAC Team. A-Jack Regnery, Sr., Tufts, 78-25-103; A-Casey Ryan, Jr., Bowdoin, 26-65-91; A-Ben Burns, Sr., Wesleyan, 45-8-53; A-Liam Horkin, Sr., Connecticut College, 39-8-47; M-Garrett Kelly, Sr., Tufts, 41-16-57; M-James Bailey, Sr., Wesleyan, 22-27-49; M-Chris Berry, Jr., Bowdoin, 35-15-50; M-Conor Hartman, Sr., Bates, 30-11-41; D-Jack Pyne, Jr., Bowdoin, 19 CT; D-Benjamin Kondner, Jr., Bates; D-Ben Frisoli, Sr., Tufts, 20 CT; FO-Miles Schmidt, Jr., Bates, 63.8%; SSM-Matthew Sheinberg, Sr., Amherst, 44 GB; GK-Conor Selfridge, Sr., Wesleyan, 55.4%

Preseason Favorite. Tufts
Preseason Player of the Year. Jack Regnery, Sr., A, Tufts

St. John Fisher has won six consecutive Empire 8 titles and shoots for No. 7 this spring. The Cardinals have not lost a conference contest since 2019 and welcome back M Sean Donaldson and GK Tyler Manning. Nazareth will look to return to the top rung of the E8 behind A Matthew Farrington, M Louis Cogliandro, and D Nicholas Hinck.

Geneseo will be strong defensively with the return of D Josh Knapp, LSM Aidan Crane, and SSDM Jack Helrigel. Alfred brings back FO Hunter Cupp and M Brendan Riley, while Hartwick A Colin August will be among the E8’s top scorers, as will Utica A Ryan Considine.

D3Lacrosse Preseason All-Empire 8 Team. A-Colin August, Sr., Hartwick, 43-4-47; A-Matthew Farrington, Sr., Nazareth, 37-24-61; A-Ryan Considine, Jr., Utica, 32-20-52; M-Louis Cogliandro, Sr., Nazareth, 28-11-39; M-Sean Donaldson, Jr., St. John Fisher, 25-7-32; M-Brendan Riley, Sr., Alfred, 21-9-30; D-Josh Knapp, Sr., Geneseo, 19 CT; D-Benjamin Cunningham, Sr., Alfred, 23 CT; D-Nicholas Hinck, So., Nazareth, 49 GB, 20 CT; LSM-Aidan Crane, Jr., Geneseo, 23 CT; SSM-Jack Helrigel, Sr., Geneseo, 21 GB; FO-Hunter Cupp, Sr., Alfred, 72.8%; GK-Tyler Manning, Sr., St. John Fisher, 55.6%

Preseason Favorite. St. John Fisher
Preseason Player of the Year. Tyler Manning, Sr., GK, St. John Fisher

Ithaca made it back-to-back Liberty tournament titles with a one-goal victory against Union last season. The Bombers, the Garnet Chargers and William Smith will all be in the hunt for the LL crown in 2026.

Ithaca is led by the 1-2 combo of A Kelly Augeri and M Blily Cody who combined for 113 goals and 156 points last season. Union sports a top attacker as well in Gillian Joseph, while Anna Dembowski mans the backline.

The Herons welcome back one of the LL’s best in M Natalie Daniels who registered 35 points and 101 draw controls. Rochester A Alyssa Gorny will be among the loop’s top scorers after tallying 58-14-72 a season ago.

RIT could make some noise with the return of M Morgan Nichter and Adele Jones, along with D Katherine Killian. Vassar welcomes back a pair of top middies in Tess Billings and Emilia DiLiberto.

D3Lacrosse Preseason All-Liberty League Team. A-Gillian Joseph, Jr., Union, 46-28-74; A-Kelly Augeri, Jr., Ithaca, 58-19-77; A-Alyssa Gorny, Sr., Rochester, 58-14-72, 82 DC; M-Lily Cody, Sr., Ithaca, 55-24-79, 119 DC; M-Natalie Daniels, Sr., William Smith, 28-7-35, 101 DC; M-Morgan Nichter, Sr., RIT, 53-14-67; M-Tess Billings, Sr., Vassar, 31-8-39; M-Emilia DiLiberto, Jr., Vassar, 23-11-34; M-Adele Jones, Sr., RIT, 28-3-31; D-Katherine Killian, Jr., RIT, 23 CT, 110 DC; D-Anna Dembowski, Jr., Union, 25 CT; D-Annie Campbell, Jr., Skidmore, 17 CT; GK-Isla Ablin, So., Rochester, 48.6%

Preseason Favorite: Ithaca
Player of the Year: Natalie Daniels, Sr., M, William Smith

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