A new favorite has emerged.
After a convincing 17-7 win over previous No. 1 Salisbury, Christopher Newport has overtaken the Sea Gulls as the top-ranked team in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division III Men’s Top 20.
CNU’s game against Salisbury was by far the most anticipated matchup of the week. The Sea Gulls had won 12 straight games against the Captains until Saturday, when CNU pulled away for a 17-7 win and locked in as the top team in the country.
The scene in Newport News was special.
This week's top five features the same teams, but Salisbury dropped to No. 3, with RIT jumping to No. 2. Union and York round out the group.
Elsewhere in Division III, MIT proved it’s for real with a one-goal win over Williams. The Engineers are 12-0 and are two games away from an undefeated regular season.
Tufts nearly dropped its third game of the season to Wesleyan. The Jumbos trailed 10-6 at halftime before outscoring the Cardinals 11-4 in the last two quarters. Wesleyan dropped two spots in the rankings and fell to 9-3 on the season with the loss.
Bowdoin remains the team to beat in the NESCAC. The Polar Bears are the only undefeated team left in the conference at 12-0. An upcoming showdown with Tufts at the end of April could have massive implications for postseason play.
The steepest drop of the week belongs to Franklin & Marshall, which dropped five spots with back-to-back losses.
The final stretch of the season has arrived. The last two weeks of April lay the framework for the postseason and determine conference tournament seeding. The pressure will continue to mount as the year winds to a close.
NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III MEN’S TOP 20
April 18, 2022 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Christopher Newport |
14-0 |
2 |
4/23 vs. Mary Washington |
|
2 |
RIT |
12-1 |
3 |
4/20 vs. Geneseo |
|
3 |
Salisbury |
13-1 |
1 |
4/22 at No. 10 Cabrini |
|
4 |
Union |
11-1 |
4 |
4/20 vs. Skidmore |
|
5 |
York |
12-2 |
5 |
4/20 vs. Messiah |
|
6 |
Dickinson |
13-0 |
6 |
4/20 vs. No. 12 Gettysburg |
|
7 |
St. John Fisher |
10-2 |
7 |
4/20 vs. Alfred |
|
8 |
Bowdoin |
12-0 |
78 |
4/20 vs. Clark |
|
9 |
Tufts |
10-2 |
9 |
4/19 at Babson |
|
10 |
Cabrini |
10-3 |
10 |
4/20 at Neumann |
|
11 |
Lynchburg |
0-4 |
13 |
4/20 at Randolph |
|
12 |
Gettysburg |
8-4 |
12 |
4/20 at No. 6 Dickinson |
|
13 |
St. Lawrence |
10-2 |
14 |
4/19 at Clarkson |
|
14 |
MIT |
12-0 |
18 |
4/23 at Emerson |
|
15 |
Stevenson |
9-4 |
17 |
4/20 vs. Lebanon Valley |
|
16 |
Franklin & Marshall |
10-4 |
11 |
4/23 vs. Washington College |
|
17 |
RPI |
9-3 |
15 |
4/23 vs. No. 13 St. Lawrence |
|
18 |
Wesleyan |
9-3 |
16 |
4/20 vs. Springfield |
|
19 |
Washington and Lee |
8-5 |
20 |
4/20 at Bridgewater |
|
20 |
Urinus |
6-6 |
NR |
4/20 at Swarthmore |
Also considered (alphabetical order): Amherst (7-5), Catholic (8-3), Clarkson (10-3) Grove City (9-4), Denison (9-4), Illinois Wesleyan (8-4), Ithaca (10-3), John Carroll (12-1), Ohio Wesleyan (7-4)
Nike/USA Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Christopher Newport (+1)
It’s hard to not put the Capitans here after starting their season with 14 straight wins, none bigger than the 17-7 victory over Salisbury. Not only was it the first time they beat the Sea Gulls since 2014, but it was also Salisbury’s worst loss since 1992. CNU dominated the matchup, putting 33 shots on goal, going a perfect 21-for-21 on clears, claiming 18 of 27 faceoffs and winning the ground ball battle 44-23. It was a statement win for coach Mikey Thompson and the Capitans, who solidified themselves as the new No. 1.
NOT
Franklin & Marshall (-5)
The Diplomats started the week with a loss to No. 9 Dickinson at home. They weren’t able to bounce back on the road against then-unranked Ursinus, losing 14-13. F&M has another chance to bounce back with Washington College and Haverford remaining on the schedule. Three of its four losses are against ranked opponents.
IN
Ursinus (No. 20)
The Bears slide into the rankings with a 6-6 record, but losses against St. John Fisher, RIT, CNU and Stevenson help beef up their resume. Their home win again Franklin & Marshall was their first against a ranked team this season, vaulting them into the standings.
OUT
Middlebury (previous No. 19)
Since their 21-14 win against Tufts, the Panthers have gone 2-3 with losses to Hamilton, Wesleyan and St. Lawrence. A team that had flown under the radar before beating the Jumbos is now just one game above .500 with two games left on the season.