This is part of a series of articles counting down the Top 20 stories of the year in Philadelphia lacrosse for 2009.

Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 12/30/09

It was a season of firsts for the Villanova men’s lacrosse team.

The Wildcats won their first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championship and advanced to the NCAA Division I tournament for the first time ever.

Villanova accomplished the feats by stunning both top-seeded Hofstra (9-7) and second-seeded Towson (10-9) to claim the CAA crown. The Wildcats, who finished 11-6 and finished No. 19 in the final USILA rankings, were eliminated by Virginia, 18-6, in the first round of the NCAA tourney.

In Division III, both Cabrini College and Haverford School enjoyed standout years. Cabrini claimed its ninth straight Colonial States Athletic Conference crown and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tourney where it fell to No. 1 Stevenson, 8-7, in a thriller.

Haverford College reached the finals of the Centennial Conference tournament and hosted an NCAA tourney game for the first time. The Black Squirrels fell to Salisbury, 16-10. Haverford finished 11th and Cabrini 15th in the final USILA Division III poll.

Tags: Cabrini, Haverford School, Villanova