Inside Lacrosse released its preseason men’s lacrosse poll today, featuring Notre Dame in first place with 17 votes, while Big East foe Denver was in second with nine votes and Georgetown at No. 14.
The Georgetown men’s lacrosse team faced both Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Denver Pioneers during the 2015 season, opening its regular season schedule with a close 14-12 loss to the then-No. 2 Fighting Irish and closing its season with a tough 16-8 loss to the Pioneers in the Big East Conference Championship game.
Both of the top-two preseason teams are historic rivals for the Hoyas; Notre Dame left the Big East in 2013, and Georgetown’s 2015 season opener was the first time that the two teams had faced off since they were conference foes. But the rivalry that Georgetown lost when Notre Dame exited the Big East for the ACC it has since regained in Denver. The Pioneers entered the conference in the 2013 season and have remained undefeated against Big East teams ever since, picking up two conference championship titles and a national championship title along the way.
The Hoyas have received several other preseason accolades in the past few weeks; Inside Lacrosse named sophomore midfielder Craig Berge to its Preseason All-America Second Team, and junior defender Michael Mayer received an All-America honorable mention. In addition, Berge, junior midfielder Peter Conley and sophomore goalkeeper Nick Marrocco were named to the Preseason All-Big East team.
Georgetown will play two exhibition games against Johns Hopkins and Drexel before it kicks off its regular season in late February. And once again, the Hoyas will take to the field against the Fighting Irish on Feb. 20 for a bid at redemption in its season opener. If polls are any indication, there is an exciting season of lacrosse ahead.
