Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/1/22
From Press Release
Coming off an undefeated Patriot League season in 2021, hopes and expectations are high for Lehigh men’s lacrosse in 2022 and on Monday, three Mountain Hawks were named preseason All-League while Lehigh was predicted to finish second in the preseason poll. In addition, senior Mike Sisselberger was named the league’s preseason Faceoff Specialist of the Year.
Loyola finished first in the poll with 126 points and 14 first-place votes. Lehigh was right behind with 109 points and two first-place votes followed by Army West Point with 105 points (two first-place votes). Navy was fourth with 87 points followed by Boston University (69), Colgate (53), Bucknell (49), Lafayette (26) and Holy Cross (16).
Sisselberger (Southern Lehigh) led Lehigh’s individual honors. The unanimous preseason All-American finished his junior season with the best faceoff winning percentage for a season in NCAA Division I history – 79.5 percent (225-of-283) – breaking the previous mark of 79.1 percent held by Albany’s TD Ierlan in 2018. Sisselberger also finished the season with 160 groundballs, a new program and Patriot League record. Sisselberger collected double-figure groundballs in 11 of those contests while offensively, he added four goals and two assists. He was named the Patriot League Faceoff Specialist of the Year and was the only men’s lacrosse student-athlete from the league named a first team postseason All-American. Sisselberger was the Mountain Hawks’ second straight faceoff specialist named an All-American (along with Gaffney, an honorable mention USILA and Media All-American in 2019).
Senior Tommy Schelling also garnered preseason All-League recognition after being named first team All-Patriot League in 2021. Schelling led the Mountain Hawks in assists (24) and points (48), finishing third in the league (19th nationally) in assists per game (2.18), fourth (21st nationally) in points per contest (4.36) and sixth (48th nationally) in goals per game (2.18). He also finished fourth on the team with 32 groundballs while recording seven multi-goal games, 10 multi-point games and three hat tricks. Named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List, Schelling tallied five or more points in seven of the 10 regular season games. He was twice named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week (following wins at Colgate and vs. Navy).
Graduate student Teddy Leggett has made his mark with everyone and everything he’s come in contact with over his collegiate career. Named a preseason honorable mention All-American by Inside Lacrosse/Media, last season, he was named All-Patriot League for the third time in as many seasons (earning second-team honors). In 2021, he led the Mountain Hawks with 15 caused turnovers, while adding 43 groundballs (good for second, only behind Sisselberger). Leggett’s 209 career groundballs and 63 caused turnovers entering 2022 are both sixth in program history.
The Mountain Hawks open their season on Saturday, Feb. 12 at NJIT.
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Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Sr.
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Marcus Hudgins, Army West Point, Sr.
Preseason Faceoff Specialist of the Year: Mike Sisselberger (Southern Lehigh), Lehigh, Sr.
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year: Wyatt Schupler, Army West Point, Sr.
Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Student-athletes are listed by position; then alphabetically by school
Attack: Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Sr.
Attack: Tommy Schelling, Lehigh, Sr.
Attack: Kevin Lindley, Loyola Maryland, Gr.
Attack: Aidan Olmstead, Loyola Maryland, Gr.
Midfielder: Bobby Abshire, Army West Point, Sr.
Midfielder: Harry Wellford, Bucknell, Sr.
Midfielder: Evan James, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Midfielder: Patrick Skalniak, Navy, Jr.
Defense: Marcus Hudgins, Army West Point, Sr.
Defense: Teddy Leggett, Lehigh, Gr.
Defense: Cam Wyers, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Defense: Jackson Bonitz, Navy, So.
Goalie: Wyatt Schupler, Army West Point, Sr.
FaceOff Specialist: Mike Sisselberger (Southern Lehigh), Lehigh, Sr.
Long-Stick Midfielder: Ryan McNulty (Bishop Shanahan), Loyola Maryland, Gr.
Short-Stick Defensive Midfielder: Payton Rezanka, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Preseason Poll
Loyola Maryland – 126 (14 first-place votes)
Lehigh– 109 (2)
Army – 105 (2)
Navy – 87
Boston University – 69
Colgate – 53
Bucknell – 49
Lafayette – 26
Holy Cross – 16