Bridgewater, N.J. – The Le Moyne College men's lacrosse team has been picked to finish fifth in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, as voted upon by the league's eight head coaches and announced by the conference office on Wednesday afternoon.
Robert Morris University, which returns to the NEC as an associate member after departing as a full member following the 2020 campaign, claimed the top spot in the poll after receiving three of the eight first-place votes. The Colonials are coming off a 5-10 season and a loss in the first round of the Atlantic Sun tournament, which they won in 2022.
Cleveland State University, another new associate member for the NEC, landed in second place in the poll and garnered two first-place votes. The Vikings went a program-best 9-8 a season ago, including 5-4 as associate members of the Atlantic Sun, and advanced to the conference semifinals as the fifth seed.
LIU also claimed two first-place votes and finished in third place in the poll. The Sharks went 10-4 in 2024, including 7-2 in MAAC play and earned the second seed in the conference championship. LIU went 9-6 over its two previous seasons playing NEC competition ('21 and '22) before the lacrosse league had a two-year hiatus.
VMI claimed the final first-place vote and finished fourth in the poll in its first season in the conference as an associate member. The Keydets went 7-8 last year, including 3-6 in their final season in the MAAC.
After the Dolphins in the poll is the University of Detroit Mercy in sixth place. The Titans are coming off a 3-10 season, including a mark of 3-6 as associate members of the Atlantic Sun.
First-year NEC member Mercyhurst University landed in seventh place after going 13-5 in its final season at the Division II level, including 8-0 in the GMAC, its second straight GMAC championship and a berth in the NCAA Championships.
Wagner College rounds out the poll after going 1-14 in 2024, including 1-8 as members of the MAAC.
The four-team NEC Championship is slated for May 1 and 3 and all three games will be hosted by the top seed. Should Le Moyne win the championship, the runner-up would earn the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.
The Dolphins return 35 letterwinners from last year's 3-8 squad, while adding six transfers and 17 freshmen. The Dolphins open the season on Tuesday, February 18 against Canisius University at 2:00 p.m. and open their inaugural Northeast Conference schedule at VMI on Saturday, March 15 at 12:00 p.m.
2025 Northeast Conference Men's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Robert Morris (3)
2. Cleveland St. (2)
3. LIU (2)
4. VMI (1)
5. Le Moyne
6. Detroit Mercy
7. Mercyhurst
8. Wagner
First place votes in parentheses
