Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/21/21 – From Press Release
The Ursinus College men’s lacrosse team is No. 5 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III preseason top-20, according to rankings released Thursday by US Lacrosse Magazine.
Cabrini, still the defending national champion, is No. 6
This marks the highest preseason ranking in program history for Ursinus, which ended the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign with its loftiest in-season ranking; Ursinus checked in at No. 6 in the final United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) poll. Coach Gary Mercadante’s squad was a perfect 7-0 when the conference season was canceled.
Ursinus came in behind only Salisbury, Tufts, RIT, and Wesleyan in the preseason rankings. Cabrini – the 2019 National champion winner at Lincoln Financial Field – was No. 6, followed by Williams, Denison, Gettysburg, and Union to round out the top-10. Franklin & Marshall (No. 14) joined the Bears and Bullets as Centennial Conference squads to appear in the top-20.
The Bears have plenty of talent back from the undefeated 2020 squad, including senior attack Hakan Atillasoy (Harriton) and sophomore defenseman Chase Rondeau (La Salle); Atillasoy was a fourth-team Maverik Media All-America selection, while Rondeau earned a spot on the Inside Lacrosse Division III All-Freshman Team.
