Stevens Men's Lacrosse Climbs USILA Rankings
PERRY, N.Y. (March 14, 2011) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s lacrosse team, off to a 5-0 start and fresh off of a pair of victories over Muhlenberg College and Roger Williams University, recently climbed to 11th on the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III coaches poll – the program’s highest-ever ranking under second-year head coach Gene Peluso.
Tufts University (1-0) held on to the poll’s top slot with 11 first-place votes, while undefeated Stevenson University (6-0) – which picked up a pair of first-place nods – and Salisbury University (6-0) rounded out the top three. SUNY Cortland (4-0) and Middlebury College (1-0) of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
Dickinson College (5-0), Haverford College (5-1) and Empire 8 rival Rochester Institute of Technology (3-0) were slotted sixth, seventh, and eighth, while Roanoke College (4-1) and Lynchburg College (4-2) came in ninth and tenth, respectively.
Stevens took home the 11th spot, followed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2-1), Hampden-Sydney College (4-1), Denison University (2-1), and Cabrini College (2-2). Conference rivals Nazareth College (2-1) and St. John Fisher College (4-0) were ranked 16th and 17th, respectively, while SUNY Geneseo (1-1) and Gettysburg College (3-3) tied for 18th, with Connecticut College rounding out the field of 20.
Through the squad’s first five games, Stevens ranks first in the Empire 8 in goals (15.8), points (23.4), shots (54.4), and man-up goals per game (2.4), second in save percentage (.673), and third in goals-against-average (7.2).
Senior co-captains Brandon Faubert and Chris Laurita have helped shoulder the Ducks’ offensive load thus far this season, ranking second and seventh, respectively, in goals with 4.25 and 2.80 per contest. Junior Kevin Rose currently sits third in the conference in assists (2.60), while sitting tied for fourth in points (4.60).