A panel of media representatives has unanimously chosen defending-champion Yale to finish first in the Ivy League in 2018, the League announced on Wednesday.
Cornell, off the heels of a fourth-place finish, was picked to finish fifth in the upcoming season. After opening its 2017 season with five consecutive losses, the Red went 5-3 down the stretch and were able to secure a 3-3 conference record, including a shocking upset of then-No. 13 Princeton in the season finale.
The Tigers, last season’s No. 2 offense in the nation, were tabbed as the second-place team in the preseason poll.
Cornell retains some of its key players from last season, including sophomore attack Jeff Teat, whose 69 points led the team and were fifth-most in the conference. Senior goalie and co-captain Christian Night also returns, having made 150 saves for an honorable mention All-Ivy selection.
At preseason media availability on Wednesday, interim coach Peter Milliman spoke of high expectations for his group.
“We want Cornell to be the No. 1 team in the Ivy League,” Milliman said. “We’re doing everything in our power to work towards that and bring the Ivy League championship back to East Hill.”
After Cornell’s relatively disappointing 2017 campaign, head coach Matt Kerwick resigned, leaving then-associate head coach Milliman to fill his shoes in an interim capacity. The team announced at the time of Kerwick’s resignation that Milliman would serve as interim coach through the 2018 season.
Cornell opens its season with a scrimmage at Drexel this Saturday, followed by its first game on Feb. 17 against Colgate.
Ivy League Lacrosse Preseason Rankings
- Yale
- Princeton
- Penn
- Brown
- Cornell
- Harvard
- Dartmouth