SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Defending champion High Point was narrowly selected as the favorite to claim the 2016 Southern Conference men’s lacrosse title, as voted by all eight of the league’s coaches. The coaches also voted on a preseason all-conference team for the league’s second season of lacrosse.
High Point nabbed four first-place votes and 46 total points to take the top spot in the poll. The Panthers, who finished last season with a 10-7 mark, also had a trio of seniors voted to the preseason all-conference team: attacker Dan Lomas, defenseman Zack Price and midfielder/faceoff specialist Jamie Piluso. Lomas netted a league-high 38 goals last season en route to offensive player of the year honors and was joined by Piluso on last year’s All-SoCon first team.
Richmond garnered four first-place votes and 45 points, only one shy of High Point’s 46, after going 11-5 overall and 6-0 in conference play in 2015. The Spiders placed a league-high five players on the preseason all-conference team. Junior J.P. Forester, an All-SoCon first team selection last year, represents Richmond among the attackers. Two more All-SoCon selections from a year ago – junior Mitch Goldberg and senior Alex Hatem – grabbed spots as midfielders, and reigning defensive player of the year Brendan Hynes was selected as one of the three defensemen. Junior Benny Pugh tied Furman sophomore Reilly McDermott for the preseason goalkeeper slot.
League newcomer Air Force collected 38 points and claimed the No. 3 spot in the preseason poll after finishing last season with an 8-7 record as an independent. Sophomore attacker Chris Walsch represents the Falcons on the preseason all-conference team.
Mercer claimed the fourth spot with 31 points in the preseason poll. Bellarmine, tabbed to finish fifth with 23 points, had three preseason all-conference selections in junior midfielder Tucker Ciessau, senior defenseman Bobby Schmitt and senior Taylor Stuart, who nabbed longstick midfielder recognition.
Furman was picked to finish sixth with 18 points, while Jacksonville and VMI round out the poll with 16 points and seven points, respectively.
The 2016 season opens up on Saturday, Feb. 6, with Air Force, Furman and Mercer all in action against nonconference foes.
2016 Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-Place Votes) Total
1. High Point (4) 46
2. Richmond (4) 45
3. Air Force 38
4. Mercer 31
5. Bellarmine 23
6. Furman 18
7. Jacksonville 16
8. VMI 7
2016 Men’s Lacrosse Preseason All-Conference Team
Attack
J.P. Forester, Jr., Richmond
Dan Lomas, Sr., High Point
Chris Walsch, So., Air Force
Midfield
Tucker Ciessau, Jr., Bellarmine
Mitch Goldberg, Jr., Richmond
Alex Hatem, Sr., Richmond
Defense
Brendan Hynes, Jr., Richmond
Zack Price, Sr., High Point
Bobby Schmitt, Sr., Bellarmine
Goalkeeper (tie)
Reilly McDermott, So., Furman
Benny Pugh, Jr., Richmond
Faceoff Specialist
Jamie Piluso, Sr., High Point
Longstick Midfielder
Taylor Stuart, Sr., Bellarmine
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