There’s a new top team in town.
RIT has stormed out to a 4-0 record, giving the Liberty League powerhouse program the No. 1 spot nationally. Don’t take this as a slight on Tufts — the Jumbos don’t open until April 10 — but rather deserving recognition for what the Tigers are doing.
Up to this point, RIT has twice beaten St. John Fisher and swept aside Cortland once. Senior attackman Dawson Tait has a team-leading 14 goals, while senior Walker Hare is showing why he’s regarded as the country’s top Division III goalie.
Elsewhere around the rankings, Hampden-Sydney has entered the fold and York is surging. The ODAC program could surge up the table, so keep an eye out for what head coach Jason Rostan’s team can accomplish.
Nike/US Lacrosse
Division III Men’s Top 20
March 29, 2021 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RIT | 4-0 | 2 | 3/31 vs. Ithaca |
| 2 | Tufts | 0-0 | 1 | 4/10 vs. Colby |
| 3 | Salisbury | 6-1 | 4 | 4/23 vs. No. 6 Christopher Newport |
| 4 | Lynchburg | 6-1 | 5 | 4/2 at No. 20 Washington and Lee |
| 5 | York | 5-0 | 8 | 3/31 at Arcadia |
| 6 | Christopher Newport | 6-1 | 3 | 4/3 at No. 3 Salisbury |
| 7 | Cabrini | 3-1 | 9 | 3/31 vs. Wesley |
| 8 | Ursinus | 0-0 | 7 | 4/3 vs. Washington College |
| 9 | Denison | 1-0 | 11 | 3/31 at Ohio Wesleyan |
| 10 | Wesleyan | 0-0 | 6 | 4/10 at Hamilton |
| 11 | Williams | 0-0 | 10 | 4/10 vs. Trinity |
| 12 | Gettysburg | 0-0 | 12 | 4/3 at Dickinson |
| 13 | St. Lawrence | 2-0 | 13 | 4/3 vs. Skidmore |
| 14 | Union | 0-0 | 14 | 4/3 at Ithaca |
| 15 | Franklin & Marshall | 1-0 | 15 | 4/3 vs. Muhlenberg |
| 16 | Stevenson | 2-0 | 16 | 4/3 vs. Lycoming |
| 17 | Hampden-Sydney | 5-1 | NR | 3/31 at St. Mary's (Md.) |
| 18 | St. John Fisher | 4-3 | 18 | 3/31 at Keuka |
| 19 | Cortland | 2-1 | 20 | 4/2 at Geneseo |
| 20 | Washington and Lee | 3-2 | 17 | 4/2 vs. No. 4 Lynchburg |
Also considered(alphabetical order): Bates, Colorado College, Dickinson, Ithaca, Stevens
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Denison (+2)
After a long wait, Denison got underway last Wednesday with a 26-3 walloping of Adrian College in which Sam Asman, Luke Fisher and Ethan Tyack all chipped in six points. Led by Davis Cronin and Jack Phipps, the Big Red also went a dominant 24-for-32 from the faceoff X. Up next for Denison is a two-game week against NCAC rivals Ohio Wesleyan.
York (+3)
Somewhat quietly, the Spartans have rattled off five straight wins to start the year. They’re 2-0 in MAC Commonwealth play, sweeping aside Widener (20-6) and Eastern (19-6) in lopsided fashion. Senior attackman Brendan O’Sullivan has a team-leading 18 goals for York, while senior defenseman Ryan Kennedy is showing why he’s among the country’s best at his position.
NOT
Christopher Newport (-3)
The Captains came crashing back down to earth last weekend, dropping a 12-5 decision to Lynchburg in a meeting of nationally ranked sides. A week prior, Christopher Newport vaulted up the rankings with a 10-9 overtime win at the Spiders. It won’t get any easier for the Captains, as they’ll open Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference play this weekend at Salisbury.
Washington and Lee (-3)
The Generals are 2-1 in ODAC play, but last weekend suffered a 14-12 defeat at Hampden-Sydney. They also dropped a 17-12 decision at Southern Virginia earlier this season, so there have been ups and downs. Look for Stuart Greenspon, Ben Mullholland and Henry Holliday to spark them forward, as that trio’s combined for 35 goals and nine assists thus far.
OUT
Ithaca (was No. 19)
The Bombers just missed the cut after falling 17-9 at St. John Fisher on Saturday. Now they enter a Liberty League gauntlet, opening against top-ranked RIT on March 31 before hosting Union on April 3. How does head coach Jeff Long’s team respond?
IN
Hampden-Sydney (No. 17)
The Tigers vault into the rankings after a 14-12 win over Washington and Lee last weekend, snapping their opponent’s program-record 24-game ODAC regular-season winning streak that dated back to April 22, 2017. Hampden-Sydney can count upon the one-two-three punch of senior attackmen Jared Medwar, Jack Hayden and Jake O'Brien — a trio that’s combined to score exactly half (47) of the team’s goals.