Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/10/14
From Press Release
As the 2014 season quickly approaches the East Coast Conference (ECC) released its Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll today. The league’s defending champion, LIU Post University, edged out its closest rival from 2013, the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), 77-76 in total points thanks to the league’s nine head coaches awarding them the deciding first-place vote.
Chestnut Hill College was forecasted for a fourth place finish, the same standing they held at the end of 2013 season with a 4-3 conference mark.
Despite the second-place finish, NYIT offered the league’s Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in junior attack Luke Miller (Mastic, N.Y.) and senior defenseman Danny McDermott (Vancouver, Canada), respectively. Miller was the 2013 ECC Player of the Year after totaling 86 points (44 goals and 42 assists), 46 ground balls, and nine caused turnover while McDermott was recognized as the league’s 2013 Defensive Player of the Year for providing the Bears with a goal, two assists, 69 ground balls, and 41 caused turnovers. The Bears finished 2013 at 12-3 overall and 6-1 in the ECC, including Miller and McDermott, they return seven starters and five All-ECC performers, to a roster that garnered four first-place votes and 76 total point in the 2014 preseason poll.
LIU Post University edged out NYIT in the preseason poll with five first-place votes and 77 total points. The Pioneers return seven All-ECC performers, including sophomore attack Matty Beccaris (North Babylon, N.Y.), to a roster that finished 2013 at 11-3 overall and a perfect 7-0 in ECC play. Beccaris led the team with 50 points, 35 goals and 15 assists, in his freshman season.
Following the Pioneers and Bears in the predicted standings were Dowling College (55 total points), Chestnut Hill College (51), Molloy College (50), Mercy College (41), Roberts Wesleyan University (28), Dominican College (15), and conference newcomer, the University of the District of Columbia (12).
Chestnut Hill College enjoyed their first winning season as a member of the ECC in 2013, 4-3 (7-6 overall), while offering eight student-athletes to the league’s all-conference roster.
The Griffins return only two of their All-ECC performers, in senior attack Michael Melnychenko (St. Catharines, Ontario) and sophomore defenseman Derick Darnulc (Baldwin, N.Y.), but retain their fourth place finish in the 2014 preseason poll with 51 total points. Melnychenko surpassed the 100-career goal milestone in 2013 and continues to project as one of the league’s top playmakers after a 43-point season, 25 goals and 18 assists. Darnulc recorded 14 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers in his freshman campaign.
The complete results of the 2014 ECC Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll can be seen below;
2014 ECC Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Votes) 2013 Overall/ECC Records Total Points
1. LIU Post University (5) 11-3/7-0 ECC 77
2. NYIT (4) 12-3/6-1 76
3. Mercy College 11-4/4-3 55
4. Chestnut Hill College 7-6/4-3 51
5. Molloy College 10-4/3-4 50
6. Mercy College 11-4/4-3 41
7. Roberts Wesleyan University 5-12/1-6 28
8. Dominican College 0-12/0-7 15
9. University of the District of Columbia
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