DU Men’s Lacrosse Ranked 14th in Preseason Poll

DU Men’s Lacrosse Ranked 14th in Preseason Poll
Pioneers look to improve on best record in school history

BALTIMORE, Md. – The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team was ranked 14th in Inside Lacrosse’s Face-Off Yearbook Top-25 Pre-Season rankings today.

The Pioneers return 27 players from the ’06 squad that compiled the best season in the history of the program with a 12-5 record, went to the team’s first NCAA tournament and won their first Great West Lacrosse League championship after sharing titles in 2003 and 2005. Denver has also added 11 freshmen. Seniors Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio), Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and junior Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) will serve as captains for the 2007 team.

Defending National Champion Virginia earned the top ranking, followed by Johns Hopkins. NCAA Semifinalist Syracuse is third, with Princeton and Georgetown rounding out the top five.

Duke and Maryland are sixth and seventh, followed by Cornell and Navy. NCAA National runner-up Massachusetts is tenth.

Pre-Season conference rankings will be announced Thurs., Nov. 30, with pre-season all-conference teams will be announced Friday, Dec. 1. Inside Lacrosse’s pre-season all-Americans will be released Monday, Dec. 4.
2007 Face-Off Yearbook Top 25

Rk. Team ‘06 Record

1. Virginia 17-0

2. Johns Hopkins 9-5

3. Syracuse 10-5

4. Princeton 11-5

5. Georgetown 11-3

6. Duke 6-2

7. Maryland 12-5

8. Cornell 11-3

9. Navy 11-4

10. Massachusetts 13-5

11. Towson 8-6

12. Loyola 6-6

13. Pennsylvania 10-4

14. Denver 12-5

15. Hofstra 17-2

16. Notre Dame 10-5

17. Penn State 8-5

18. UMBC 10-5

19. Delaware 12-5

20. Albany 8-7

21. North Carolina 4-10

22. Dartmouth 8-7

23. Harvard 6-7

24. Army 8-7

25. Hobart 6-8

DU Men’s Lacrosse Announces 2007 Schedule

DU Men’s Lacrosse Announces 2007 Schedule
’07 schedule features Duke, North Carolina, Pennsylvania

DENVER –University of Denver men’s lacrosse head coach Jamie Munro announced the 2007 schedule Friday. The schedule features seven teams ranked in the final USILA poll in 2006, five in the Inside Lacrosse media poll and four teams that were in the 2006 NCAA tournament.

The Pioneers kick off the 2007 schedule on the East Coast against No. 16 Penn State in State College, Pa. DU will face perennial powerhouses UNC and Duke on the road before beginning its home season at the Peter J. Barton Lacrosse Stadium with the Face-Off Classic, where it will face Villanova and No. 11 UMBC.

Stony Brook, who finished 2006 ranked No. 21, and No. 19 Harvard highlight the Pioneers’ non-conference home action. In conference action, the Pioneers travel to Bellarmine and No. 15 Notre Dame and host Butler, No. 24 Ohio State and Air Force.

The Pioneers wrap-up their season against No. 12 Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, on May 5.

“This is the toughest schedule we have ever played,” said Munro. “It will give us a great chance to achieve the type of success we are hoping for in 2007.”

Munro is in his ninth season at the helm of the Pioneers and has a 64-48 record (.571). He is joined by newly-promoted associate head coach Jon Torpey (third season), assistant coach Mark King (second season) and volunteer assistant coach, former DU standout Matt Brown (first season).

In 2006, the Pioneers compiled their best season in the history of the program, 12-5, went to the team’s first NCAA tournament and won their first Great West Lacrosse League championship after sharing titles in 2003 and 2005. The Pioneers return 27 players from the ’06 squad and have 11 freshmen joining the team. Seniors Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio), Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and junior Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) will serve as captains for the 2007 team.

The DU lacrosse team will have four games aired on Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain this season after having three aired last year. The first telecast will be against fellow NCAA tournament participant Harvard on Mar. 31. GWLL match-ups against Butler, Ohio State and Air Force will also be televised.