Most years, when brainstorming covers for our NCAA preview edition, we pick a horse and hitch our wagon to it. 

Last year, we featured Stony Brook stars Kylie Ohlmiller and Courtney Murphy. Murphy got hurt, but Ohlmiller certainly delivered, leading the Seawolves within an eight-minute gasp of their first final four.

In 2016, we were all in on Notre Dame’s “Big Three” of Matt Kavanagh, Sergio Perkovic and Matt Landis. How did that team fall short of the final four, anyhow?

The previous year, we asked what more could Taylor Cummings do? Turned out another Terps title was in the offing.

Lyle Thompson in 2014? No-brainer. He’d go on to win two straight Tewaaratons.

Looking at the cover of this issue, you might think we copped out. But I see an incredible spread of talent and wonder how anyone can pretend to know how 2018 will play out. I can’t remember coming into a season that felt this wide open at the outset.

Six of 10 Tewaaraton finalists return for contenders in 2018. Ohlmiller, Albany’s Connor Fields and Yale’s Ben Reeves lead teams that are knocking on the door of championship weekend.

At least one of the Cinderella stories that captivated us last May in Foxborough — Navy, BC, Ohio State and Towson — likely will have a sequel at some point. There’s too much talent across the board, and many more schools are making a legitimate investment in the sport.

I hesitate to use the word parity, especially since 20 of the 40 Division I teams ranked in this magazine are from the ACC or Big Ten. But here comes the Pac-12. And giant killers lurk in the CAA, Ivy League, Patriot League, America East and Big East.

No one’s safe.