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1. Penn State or Virginia? That’s the pervasive question of the preseason, and the pundits are divided.

On the eve of the NCAA lacrosse season, Inside Lacrosse unveiled its first media poll of 2020. Penn State took the No. 1 spot with 11 of 20 first-place votes, followed by Virginia (seven), Yale (one), Maryland (one) and Syracuse (one) to round out the top five.

Penn State also is ranked No. 1 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Men’s Preseason Top 20.

Conversely, Virginia landed the top ranking in the Face-Off Yearbook and USILA coaches polls.

2. For the third time this month, the tragic death of a student-athlete has shaken an NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse program.

Garrett Bakhsh, a freshman attackman at Coker, died Tuesday night after a nightclub shooting in Hartsville, S.C.

The news came on the heels of the unexpected deaths of Rollins junior attackman Joey Cinque and Saint Leo junior goalie Blake Crownover earlier this month.

3. The NAIA released preseason coaches polls for men’s and women’s lacrosse Wednesday. SCAD earned its 33rd No. 1 nod in the women’s rankings. Reinhardt sits atop the men’s poll. Both were unanimous selections.

4. The MCLA also released preseason coaches polls Wednesday. South Carolina secured 19 of 25 first-place votes to win the No. 1 spot in the Division I rankings. St. Thomas received 21 of 25 votes to earn top billing in Division II.

5. Cornell women’s lacrosse assistant Bill Olin penned a poignant piece on the differences between coaching men and women.

Olin, whose article first appeared on the IWLCA’s “Behind the Whistle” blog Wednesday, wrote of the fulfillment he has found in the women’s game. Read it here.

6. US Lacrosse Magazine’s NCAA preview countdown is down to two. Gary Lambrecht examined the No. 3 Yale men, while Justin Fitzgerald broke down the rebuilding effort underway for the No. 3 Maryland women.

WHAT WE’RE READING

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

All hail Hall of Famer Jay Jalbert, king of the swim dodge.

Utah’s hype videos are straight fire.

A twin-vs.-twin braveheart to end Marian lacrosse practice in wintry Font du Lac in Wisconsin.

WHAT’S ON TAP

  • Matt Hamilton’s one game to watch and links to schedules for every Division I men’s lacrosse team.

  • Shane Connelly’s Preseason Player of the Year profile of Penn State superstar Grant Ament.

  • A lacrosse connection in the Super Bowl? Of course there is.

  • Previews of the No. 2-ranked Virginia men and Syracuse women.

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