Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Ranked 24th in Preseason Poll
12/9/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Dec. 9, 2002
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's lacrosse team has earned a No. 24 national ranking in the Inside Lacrosse preseason coaches' poll, the publication announced on Monday.
The Bison are coming off a 6-7 campaign in which they posted a 5-1 Patriot League record and earned at least a share of the league championship for the third year in a row. Bucknell returns 30 players from that squad, which was just a one-goal loss at Hobart away from its second NCAA Tournament berth.
The top four teams in the poll - Syracuse, Princeton, Johns Hopkins and Virginia - represent last year's NCAA Final Four. In a narrow vote, Syracuse edged Princeton by only 10 points for the top spot. Maryland, Georgetown, Duke, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Hofstra round out the top 10.
Of the 13 opponents on Bucknell's 2003 schedule, six are ranked in the preseason top 25, while three others received votes. Patriot League foes Army (No. 20) and Hobart (25) join Maryland (5), North Carolina (9), Penn State (16) and Harvard on the Herd's challenging schedule.
The Bison open their 2003 campaign at North Carolina on Feb. 22.
