Way-Early 2026 Division I Men's Rankings: 25-21

With the COVID era (and the uncertainty of just how many players will snag an extra year of eligibility) effectively consigned to the past, the chance at a way-too-early look at next season is a bit more manageable in the first half of the summer. 

Not that it isn’t too early; it’s right there in the name. USA Lacrosse Magazine’s first glimpse of the 2026 college season starts with some programs looking for breakthroughs, as well as a couple seeking bounce backs after absorbing significant graduation losses.

T25. BRYANT

2025 record: 10-5 (5-1 America East)

Last seen: Having a six-game winning streak snapped when it dropped a 12-7 decision to UAlbany in the America East title game.

Projected starts lost: 51 of 150 (34 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 97 of 296 points (32.8 percent)

Initial forecast: The Bulldogs may not have earned their second NCAA tournament berth in three years under coach Brad Ross, but they are a fine candidate to make a postseason push in 2026 and perhaps pick off a surprise victory or two in non-conference play. Bryant lost three starters, including defenseman Drew Lucas (25 caused turnovers), but it retained seven of its top nine scorers plus the two major pieces of a faceoff tandem and a solid starting goalie. Redshirt junior Dawson Rielly (41G, 5A) is a tested finisher, and Zac Amend (24G, 9A) is coming off winning the America East’s rookie of the year honor after putting in some breakthrough work during conference play. Balance and depth helped spur Bryant to a regular-season league title last season, and those should still be assets as the Bulldogs make a run at a third 10-win season in four years.

T25. HIGH POINT

2025 record: 7-9 (2-3 Atlantic 10)

Last seen: Falling to Richmond in the Atlantic 10 title game after beating Saint Joseph’s twice in 13 days, a fine encapsulation of the Panthers’ gyrations throughout the season.

Projected starts lost: 60 of 160 (37.5 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 56 of 265 points (21.1 percent)

Initial forecast: The Panthers are in line to bring back their top five in points, including Justin Wixted (14G, 34A), Owen Bunten (39G, 2A), Collin Rovere (16G, 13A), Ryan Hynes (15G, 12A) and Carson Robins (16G, 11A). Luca Accardo, a first-team all-Atlantic 10 selection, won 62 percent of his faceoffs as a junior and remains in the fold. Zack Overend had double-digit saves in all but three outings and wound up stopping 53.6 percent of the shots on goal he faced for the season. It’s a solid core group that had some decent moments in coach John Crawley’s first season and could be in line for a jump. There are a couple starters to replace on close defense, but High Point’s biggest priority might simply be taking better care of the ball. The Panthers averaged 17.9 turnovers in their nine losses and almost literally threw away any chance of pulling an upset of Richmond in the A-10 final due to sloppy play. If High Point cleans things up, it should have a decent chance at pushing for 10 victories and another shot at a league title.

24. YALE

2025 record: 5-8 (3-3 Ivy League)

Last seen: Yielding 21 goals on 46.7-percent shooting to Cornell in a lightning-delayed Ivy League semifinal to ensure a second consecutive missed NCAA tournament.

Projected starts lost: 81 of 130 (62.3 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 162 of 235 points (68.9 percent)

Initial forecast: On paper, this does not look good. Yale has an exodus of experience off a team that stumbled through a substandard season compared to the lofty heights Andy Shay’s program reached in the 2010s, and it was again beset by defensive struggles while going 0-6 against eventual NCAA tournament teams. Its top two scorers from 2025 (Leo Johnson and Chris Lyons) will play at Maryland as grad transfers, while midfielder Brad Sharp will do the same at Ohio State and Max Krevsky is now in the PLL. And yet … it still doesn’t feel quite right to completely count out Yale. Maybe that comes off like a cop-out of an explanation for a team with only one all-Ivy League returnee (honorable mention defenseman Patrick Pisano) and some staff flux (new defensive coordinator Noah Fossner replaces Ed Williams). There is no ignoring an unmistakable decline in results (NCAA quarterfinals in 2022, NCAA first round in 2023, a postseason near-miss despite a spate of injuries in 2024) coming out of the pandemic, but Shay built the Bulldogs on an ethos of toughness and discipline. With enough of both, a relatively anonymous Yale roster could surprise in 2026.

23. DENVER

2025 record: 7-7 (2-3 Big East)

Last seen: Getting thumped 18-11 at Marquette on April 25, a defeat the cost the Pioneers a berth in the Big East tournament.

Projected starts lost: 81 of 140 (57.9 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 142 of 247 points (57.4 percent)

Initial forecast: The peculiarities of the COVID era made it easy to forget how quickly rosters traditionally turned over through the traditional four-year eligibility clock. Not anymore, especially for a team like Denver. The Pioneers used 23 players in an NCAA semifinal in 2024. Two seasons later, only four of them — attackmen Cody Malawsky and Marek Tzagournis, long pole Chris Caldwell and short stick Brody Davis — will be on the roster. Malawsky (18G, 14A) and Tzagournis (16G, 14A) are easily Denver’s most known quantities on offense, and the Pioneers will break in new starters on faceoffs and in the cage. There is a lot of uncertainty, and Denver must improve a faceoff unit that won just 41.2 percent of its draws. The stars from Bill Tierney’s final seasons (and Matt Brown’s first one) have all moved on, and it will be up to a largely new cast to get Denver back in contention for a Big East title and an NCAA tournament berth.

22. FAIRFIELD

2025 record: 12-3 (6-2 CAA)

Last seen: Crashing out of the CAA tournament semifinals with a 14-6 loss to Drexel that featured the Stags’ worst shooting percentage of the season (.158) and their second-worst shooting percentage defense (.452).

Projected starts lost: 46 of 150 (30.7 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 97 of 332 points (29.2 percent)

Initial forecast: The intriguing part of Fairfield’s status as the last of the unbeatens in Division I last season was their relative youth. Three of the Stags’ four first-team all-CAA picks are set to return, including exceptional long pole Julian Radossich (42CT), feeder Keegan Lynch (23G, 29A) and midfielder Will Consoli (17G, 13A). Fairfield’s top two goal-scorers — Devin Lampron (30G, 7A) and Jake Gilbert (29G, 8A) — are also back from a team that tied the school record for victories in a season. The window is far from closed on the Stags to make a run at a league title, and there was probably plenty learned from a turnover-filled loss to Towson in the regular season and the struggles in the conference tournament against Drexel. One thing is definitely certain: Fairfield will not be an afterthought nationally heading into 2026.

21. VILLANOVA

2025 record: 8-7 (4-1 Big East)

Last seen: Having no answer for Georgetown’s Aidan Carroll in a 16-8 loss to the Hoyas in the Big East title game

Projected starts lost: 43 of 150 (28.7 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 79 of 225 points (35.1 percent)

Initial forecast: The Wildcats come off what looked to be a transitional year and still ended up with a share of the Big East regular-season title and clearly improved as the season progressed. Some of the team-wide numbers — 23.8 shooting percentage, 45.3 save percentage — offer room for improvement, but this Villanova team should still be a bit more experienced even after the departures of Matt Licata (28G, 12A) and Luke Raymond (16G, 7A). Gavin Michener (9G, 7A) was a spark during a five-game winning streak in the middle of the season, and his older brother Colin (26G, 14A) will be at the top of opponents’ scouting reports as a redshirt junior. The Wildcats will be different on offense with coordinator Simon Connor departing, and they still have a Georgetown-sized obstacle in the Big East. Nonetheless, they have yet to miss a Big East tournament and will probably find a way to flirt with a 10-win season, especially if an older group can figure things out a little earlier than it did in 2025.