Richmond Makes History as No. 1 in USA Lacrosse D-I Men's Top 20

And along came the Spiders.

For the first time in program history, Richmond is No. 1 in the latest update to the USA Lacrosse Division I Men's Top 20, presented by CWENCH Hydration. The Spiders' new ranking comes as a result of Notre Dame's loss to Virginia, but don't be mistaken — Richmond has also earned this ranking.

Richmond (9-0) is one of two undefeated teams remaining in Division I (Sacred Heart, 10-0) and owns wins over Virginia, Cornell and Georgetown. Its defense has allowed fewer than 10 goals in six of its last seven games, and allowed exactly 10 in the other contest during that stretch.

The Spiders will put their shiny new ranking to the test almost immediately. On Saturday, they'll head to Evanston, Ill., to play Notre Dame in a neutral-site slugfest.

An in-state rival of Richmond's is also a notable team this week. Virginia, fresh off adding the first blemish to Notre Dame's resume, has left the pool of considered teams to find itself at No. 14.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION I
MEN’S TOP 20

1. Richmond
2. North Carolina
3. Princeton
4. Syracuse
5. Notre Dame
6. Harvard
7. Penn State
8. Duke
9. Georgetown
10. Ohio State
11. Cornell
12. Maryland
13. Johns Hopkins
14. Virginia
15. Penn
16. Towson
17. Yale
18. Rutgers
19. Army
20. Boston U

Also considered (alphabetical order): Denver, Loyola, Sacred Heart

USA LACROSSE DIVISION II
MEN’S TOP 20

Adelphi continues to stack impressive wins, beating Mercy and Southern New Hampshire last week to stay undefeated. Netminder Christian Tomei owns the best goalie numbers in the nation, regardless of division, very loudly answering the only question anyone had about the Panthers entering the season.

Maryville is climbing back up the Top 20 after an impressive win over Lewis. The Saints have had star attackman Justin Simonson for only three games this year, and only once since the calendar flipped to March. They still are sitting 8-2 and firmly in the national conversation. 

Rollins, which strung together quality wins to shoot up the Top 20 over the past few weeks, got tripped up by in-state opponent Saint Leo.

The most eyebrow-raising result came via Catawba demolishing Anderson. Catawba took 58 shots and led 12-4 at halftime in a massive statement in Division II — particularly in the SAC.

1. Adelphi
2. Saint Anselm
3. Tampa
4. Newberry
5. Pace
6. Lenoir-Rhyne
7. Wingate
8. Maryville
9. Seton Hill
10. Anderson
11. Lewis
12. Florida Tech
13. Catawba
14. Molloy
15. Saint Leo
16. Mercy
17. Rollins
18. Frostburg
19. Rockhurst
20. Flagler

Also considered (alphabetical order): Assumption, Belmont Abbey, Colorado Mesa, St. Michael’s, UIndy

USA LACROSSE DIVISION III
MEN’S TOP 20

Anyone who tells you they know what’s going to happen in Division III is lying to you.

While Tufts and Bowdoin continue to maintain their stranglehold on the top two spots (these two don’t play each other until April 22), the rest of the Division III landscape is one giant “they beat those guys, but they also lost to those other guys” kind of mess. 

It requires the type of mind capable of bending spoons to make sense of it all. Williams is a prime example. The Ephs went down to Maryland and beat powerhouse Salisbury by four goals, but then went up to Maine and lost to Bates a few days later.

With all the turmoil, new names are entering the national conversation. Washington College is 9-2 with wins over Dickinson and Franklin & Marshall. Randolph-Macon is now 8-2 after beating Washington and Lee over the weekend and has pushed its way into the Top 20.

1. Tufts
2. Bowdoin
3. Lynchburg
4. Christopher Newport
5. RIT
6. York
7. Salisbury
8. Babson
9. Wesleyan
10. Gettysburg
11. Stevens
12. Bates
13. Williams
14. Middlebury
15. Amherst
16. Trinity
17. St. John Fisher
18. Dickinson
19. Skidmore
20. Randolph-Macon

Also considered (alphabetical order): Hamilton, RPI, St. Lawrence, Washington College, Washington and Lee