Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/12/26
From Press Release
Richmond – led by senior SSDM Jack Pilling (La Salle) and junior midfielder Joe Sheridan (Malvern Prep) – has been selected to repeat as Atlantic 10 champions in the 2026 Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll. The league, which enters its fourth season, also honored 12 players as Preseason All-Conference.
The Spiders, ranked ninth nationally in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Poll, received 47 points in the poll and six first place votes. The Spiders placed five players on the Preseason All-Conference Team, headlined by 2025 Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year Aiden O’Neil and Co-Defensive Player of the Year Hunter Smith. Lucas Littlejohn and Sheridan, both All-Conference selections in 2025 and Pilling also earned preseason accolades. UR, which reached the NCAA quarterfinals last year after topping North Carolina for the program’s first NCAA Tournament win, have made the Atlantic 10 Championship title game in each season in the league, topping High Point for the title last year as well as winning the inaugural A-10 crown in 2023.
High Point, one of four affiliate members in men’s lacrosse, and Saint Joseph’s tied for second in the poll, garnering 34 points each. SJU also collected a first-place vote. The Hawks had four players selected for the Preseason All-Conference Team, including 2025 Rookie of the Year and All-Conference honoree Ben Dutton. Liam Quinn, also an All-Conference choice in 2025, long-stick midfielder Danny Gaalaas and goalkeeper Tommy Gross also claimed preseason awards. Saint Joseph’s won the inaugural men’s lacrosse regular season and in 2024 SJU captured the regular season and A-10 Championship. High Point, which has played for the A-10 title twice, had 2025 All-Conference goalkeeper Zack Overend earn 2026 preseason accolades as did face-off specialist Luca Accardo.
New affiliate member Delaware placed fourth in the preseason poll with 28 points. The Blue Hen became the seventh team in A-10 men’s lacrosse. Massachusetts placed fifth in the poll with 27 points. The Minutemen had Kyle Swanson, a 2025 All-Conference selection, earn preseason accolades.
Hobart’s David Peterkin earned 2026 preseason accolades after claiming first-team All-Conference honors last year. The Statesmen were sixth in the poll and St. Bonaventure rounded out the poll.
Richmond will serve as the host for the 2026 Atlantic 10 Men’s Lacrosse Championship. The four-team tournament will be played at Robins Stadium in Richmond, Va., April 30 – May 2 with the winner earning the Atlantic 10’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
Richmond – 47 (6)
High Point – 34
Saint Joseph’s – 34 (1)
Delaware – 28
Massachusetts – 27
Hobart – 19
St. Bonaventure – 7
Number in parenthesis denotes first-place votes
Men’s Lacrosse Preseason All-Conference
ATTACK
Lucas Littlejohn, Richmond
Aidan O’Neil, Richmond
Ben Dutton, Saint Joseph’s
MIDFIELD
David Peterkin, Hobart
Jack Pilling (La Salle), Richmond
Joe Sheridan (Malvern Prep), Richmond
DEFENSE
Kyle Swanson, Massachusetts
Hunter Smith, Richmond
Liam Quinn (Downingtown East), Saint Joseph’s
FACE OFF SPECIALIST
Luca Accardo, High Point
LONG STICK MIDFIELDER
Danny Gaalaas, Saint Joseph’s
GOALKEEPER
Zack Overend, High Point
Tommy Gross, Saint Joseph’s
