PRINCETON, N.J. – After reaching the NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse national championship game, Cornell was selected as the preseason favorite in the 2023 Ivy League men’s lacrosse preseason poll.
With six teams ranked in both the Inside Lacrosse and Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I preseason polls which is the most out of any other conference, the Ivy League is poised for yet another nationally successful season.
No. 4 Cornell compiled 94 points, including 11 of the 14 first-place votes to earn the top spot in the poll. No. 5 Princeton checked into second place with 78 points and two first-place votes, while No. 7 Yale rounded out the top-three with 65 points. The defending Ivy League tournament champions, No. 9 Penn, was fourth with 64 points, and No. 13 Harvard collected 43 points and the final first place vote and was fifth. No. 12 Brown (30 points) and Dartmouth (14 points) rounded out the preseason poll.
Heading into the highly anticipated 2023 campaign, 22 standouts were named USA Lacrosse preseason All-Americans, including Penn’s
Sam Handley who was named the publication’s preseason Division I men’s Player and Midfielder of the Year after earning Lt. j.g. Donald MacLaughlin Jr. Most Outstanding Midfielder and Tewaaraton Award Finalist nods last season.
In 2022, six Ivy League teams earned bids into the 2022 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship while four teams reached the quarterfinals, Princeton and Cornell reached the Final Four, and Cornell advanced to that national championship game.
Official practices are set to begin on Wednesday, February 1 with opening weekend set for Saturday, February 18 and Sunday, February 19. Harvard and Penn highlight the first set of games as the Crimson will take on No. 1 Virginia while the Quakers will head to No. 3 Georgetown.
Last week, the Ivy League announced the 2023 Ivy League men’s lacrosse media day, slated for Thursday, February 2 at 11 a.m. The call will feature head coaches as well as student-athletes from each team. ESPN lead commentator for the men's lacrosse Championship Weekend broadcasts last year,
Anish Shroff, will serve as the moderator for the call. Media members looking to register for the call can do so by clicking
here.
The media day will be streamed live on YouTube. The event can be viewed
here.
The 2023 Ivy League Men's Lacrosse Tournament will be held Columbia University on May 5-7. The men's tournament champion will earn an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. Ticket information for the event will be available at a later date.
IVY LEAGUE MEN’S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)
| 1. |
Cornell |
94 (11) |
| 2. |
Princeton |
78 (2) |
| 3. |
Yale |
65 |
| 4. |
Penn |
64 |
| 5. |
Harvard |
43 (1) |
| 6. |
Brown |
30 |
| 7. |
Dartmouth |
14 |