Men's lacrosse ranked 13th in Lacrosse Magazine & 22nd in LAXNews national preseason polls

George McCormack's Williams College men's lacrosse team made history in 2008 with its first NESCAC title and first trip to the NCAA Tournament and now the Ephs are gaining traction on the national scene.

Despite opening the 2008 season with a 2-4 record, McCormack re-focused the Ephs and guided his team to an overall mark of 10-6, including six straight wins over nationally ranked teams that placed the Ephs in the NESCAC title and lifted them to the level of conference champions.

Three key Eph returnees this season have already been accorded preseason All-America honors from Faceoff/Inside Lacrosse magazine in seniors Brian Morrissey (long-stick middie) and Michael Gerbush (goalie) and sophomore attack David Hawley.

Lacrosse Magazine has the Ephs ranked 13th in their top twenty national preseason poll and Williams is one of four NESCAC teams ranked.

Lacrosse Magazine NCAA Division III Men Preseason Poll
1. Salisbury
2. Gettysburg
3. Cabrini
4. Middlebury
5. Cortland
6. Lynchburg
7. Ithaca
8. Washington College
9. Stevenson
10. Haverford
11. Endicott
12. St. Lawrence
13. Williams
14. Geneseo
15. Denison
16. Springfield
17. Bowdoin
18. Clarkson
19. Roanoke
20. Tufts

The Ephs are one of five NESCAC teams and one of eight in New England ranked by LAXNews.

This season the Ephs will play five contests vs. teams ranked by LAXNews with NESCAC foes Middlebury, Wesleyan, Bowdoin and Tufts, and Endicott highlighting the 13-game regular season schedule.

The Ephs will open the 2009 season on the road at Colby on March 7.

LAXNews Div. III Preseason Poll
1 --  Salisbury
2 --  Gettysburg
3 --  Cabrini
4 --  Cortland
5 --  Ithaca
6 --  Lynchburg
7 --  Stevenson
8 --  Washington
9 --  Middlebury
10 - Roanoke
11 - Endicott
12 - Wesleyan
13 - Haverford
14 - W&L
15 - Denison
16 - Bowdoin
17 - WNEC
18 - St. Lawrence
19 - Nazareth
20  - Stevens
21 - Geneseo
22 - Williams
23 - Springfield
24 - Union
25 - Tuft