Adelphi Holds Top Spot in USA Lacrosse Division II Men's Preseason Top 20

It’s January, and that means lacrosse is right around the corner. Last season’s title game was an instant classic, as Adelphi downed Tampa 9-8 in overtime to lift its ninth championship. 

The journey to Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Va., for championship weekend kicks off soon, which means it’s time for the USA Lacrosse Division II Men’s Preseason Top 20, presented by CWENCH Hydration.

It might seem cliché to start where the previous season ended, but it’s difficult to talk about the new season without mentioning that Adelphi is once again the top-ranked contender heading into 2026. It’s not just about the Panthers winning last year’s title, either. 

They have multiple returning All-Americans on the roster, but the biggest question mark will come between the pipes as they look to replace legendary netminder Dylan Renner. Chris Santacroce headed to Adelphi from Limestone and will compete for the open spot.

In that same vein, Tampa is No. 2, as the Spartans return scorers like leading scorer Jackson Bashaw and senior midfielder Tommy Ortega.

The rest of the top five is comprised of familiar teams. Saint Anselm, the only team to beat Adelphi last season, comes in at the third spot. Following closely behind are two powerhouse teams from the SAC, Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION II
MEN’S PRESEASON TOP 20

1. Adelphi
2. Tampa
3. Saint Anselm
4. Wingate
5. Lenoir-Rhyne
6. Maryville
7. Seton Hill
8. Lewis
9. Molloy
10. Anderson
11. Pace
12. Mercy
13. Bentley
14. Newberry
15. Colorado Mesa
16. Flagler
17. Rockhurst
18. North Greenville
19. Belmont Abbey
20. UIndy

Also considered (alphabetical order): Assumption, Embry-Riddle, Georgian Court, Montevallo, Rollins, Saint Leo, Wilmington (Del.)

MORE ON THE TOP 20

1. Adelphi

There’s a case to be made that the Panthers have the top attackman, midfielder and defenseman in America. Goalie is a spot to watch, as multiple players, including transfers Christian Tomei (Ohio State/Jacksonville/Belmont Abbey), Thomas Gentile (Boston U) and Santacroce (Limestone) compete to replace All-American Dylan Renner. Adelphi is looking to become the first team to ever three-peat in NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse.

2. Tampa

The Spartans return a wealth of offensive weapons, led by Tommy Ortega, and one of the nation’s top lockdown defenders in Gordy Gombold. Graduation hit the Spartans hard, but they still have the pieces to get back to championship weekend.

3. Saint Anselm

Colby Goodchild, Finn Granana and Quinn Gannon are arguably the best trio of specialists in America. Saint Anselm is loaded with returning talent and ready to take on a gauntlet that is the NE-10.

4. Wingate

The defense will miss Peyton Farley, but the offense is stacked. Kyle Spence posted 118 points in 2025 and leads a lineup that runs deep with weapons.

5. Lenoir-Rhyne

Possessions should be plentiful with Matthew Mancini facing off. With Evan Voss graduating, Mancini might win it forward to some new faces, but make no mistake, Lenoir-Rhyne reloaded. This was not a rebuild.

6. Maryville

Maryville reached new heights in 2025 with a trip to the NCAA semifinals. Justin Simonson returns from a 40-40 season to try to lead the Saints back to postseason glory.

7. Seton Hill

The Griffins posted a stellar 18-2 record in 2025, ending in a nailbiter against Saint Anselm in the NCAA tournament. With Will Cody, Carter Green and Wade Brunelle back, Seton Hill is reloaded.

8. Lewis

Flying, almost literally, hand-in-hand with Maryville’s meteoric Midwest rise, Lewis wants revenge for last season’s GVLC title game overtime loss. High-scoring attackman Malikye Good and top cover defender Tyler Davis are back to help do it.

9. Molloy

Brian Green broke out with a 69-point campaign in 2025, highlighted by leading an NCAA tournament upset of Pace. Green and Tommy Corcoron headline a Molloy roster loaded with returners.

10. Anderson

Is this too high for Anderson? Not if you think the five players who combined for 358 points are going to do worse than that, because they’re all back, led by Ryan Bitterman (77) and Radyn Badraun (76).

11. Pace

Not an also-ran in any sense, even in the NE-10, Pace still has plenty to prove after losing to Molloy in overtime in the North East Regional round of last year’s NCAA tournament. Chris Butler is one of the top defenders not just in the NE-10, but in the nation.

12. Mercy

After a flawless 6-0 conference record, Mercy probably thinks it deserves better, but it lost three of its top four scorers to graduation and still has plenty to prove in out-of-conference play.

13. Bentley

Kyle Piersiak has been a steady All-American presence on the defensive end. Bentley will need him to lead a team with a lot of fresh faces in the lineup.

14. Newberry

This might be a low rank for the Wolves, especially if their stellar freshman and sophomore classes make the leap. Jack Travassos went pro, and Newberry will need a defensive alpha.

15. Colorado Mesa

A new go-to guy is needed with JJ Brummett graduating, but this team has plenty of versatile offensive options that make Colorado Mesa difficult to match up against.

16. Flagler

A dream season in 2025 ended too early. Is Flagler built enough to sustain its rise? Trace McDonald, last year’s top scorer, is back to lead the offense.

17. Rockhurst

Last spring saw Rockhurst drop one-goal games against Maryville, Saint Leo and Lewis in the GLVC tournament. With most of the core back, it’ll try to flip those Ls to Ws.

18. North Greenville

North Greenville made its first NCAA tournament appearance in 2025 after winning its first Conference Carolinas tournament title. Caden Castle returns to lead an offense looking to make another leap forward.

19. Belmont Abbey

Most of the offense is intact from an 11-4 team in 2025, but the portal departures of goalie Christian Tomei and defender Alex Singh are major losses.

20. UIndy

The GLVC is no cakewalk, and the UIndy non-conference schedule is once again one of the most competitive slates in the country. Defense and faceoffs will be major strengths for the Greyhounds, led by one of the nation’s best SSDMs in Tyler Bernarduci.