Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/8/17
From Press Release
Defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s lacrosse champion Quinnipiac was selected as the unanimous 2017 preseason favorite, as voted upon by the leagues seven head coaches.
Quinnipiac went 6-0 in conference play last season en route to winning its first MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship in program history. The Bobcats defeated Marist College 13-9 in the 2016 MAAC Championship game to advance to the NCAA Championship. In preliminary round action, Quinnipiac knocked off Hartford 14-9, behind four goals from the 2017 MAAC Co-Preseason Player of the Year, Foster Cuomo.
Monmouth ranks second in the preseason coaches’ poll with 38 points. Last season the Hawks were 3-3 in MAAC play and faced Marist in the semifinals of the MAAC Championship. Monmouth ranked first in the MAAC in 2016 with 7.57 caused turnovers per game and second with an 8.42 goals against average. Returning for the Hawks is 2017 Preseason All-MAAC member, senior defensemen Andrew Grajewski (La Salle).
Marist comes in third in the preseason poll with 34 points and a league-best four players on the Preseason All-MAAC team. The Red Foxes were 4-2 in the MAAC a season ago and made it to the championship game before falling to Quinnipiac. J.D. Recor was second in the MAAC with 1.73 assists per game and second with 3.53 points per game. Goalkeeper Brian Corrigan ranked first in the MAAC with an 8.14 goals against average and a 58.7 save percentage. The senior goalkeeper ranked second with 11.75 saves per game.
In fourth-place in the preseason poll is three-time MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Champions, Siena. The Saints placed defender Joe Arcarese on the 2017 MAAC Preseason All-MAC team. Canisius College placed in fifth with 23 points. The Griffs are led by Co-Preseason Player of the Year, Jeff Edwards. Edwards led the MAAC with 2.17 assists last season. Detroit Mercy and Manhattan round out the preseason poll in sixth and seventh place, respectively.
The 2017 MAAC Championship will take place from Friday, May 5-Sunday, May 7 at a site to be determined. The championship game will take place on Sunday, May 7 at 10:00 a.m. and will air live on ESPNU. As part of the MAAC’s deal with ESPN, one regular season game on Friday, April 28 will be flexed onto ESPNU. One of the following games is eligible to be flexed onto ESPNU: Manhattan at Monmouth, Quinnipiac at Canisius or Siena at Marist.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Quinnipiac (7) 49
2. Monmouth 38
3. Marist 34
4. Siena 24
5. Canisius 23
6. Detroit Mercy 17
7. Manhattan 11
Preseason All-MAAC Team
Parker Giarratana Attack Manhattan
JD Recor* Attack Marist
Brian Feldman Attack Quinnipiac
Jeff Edwards* Midfield Canisius
Gannon Morrison Midfield Marist
Foster Cuomo* Midfield Quinnipiac
Frankie Brier Defense Marist
Andrew Grajewski (La Salle) Defense Monmouth
Joe Arcarese Defense Siena
Brian Corrigan Goalie Marist
Preseason Players of the Year:
Jeff Edwards, Canisius
Foster Cuomo, Quinnipiac
* unanimous selection