Limestone College Tabbed to Win 2017 Conference Carolinas Men's Lacrosse Championship
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Limestone College were picked to win the 2017 Conference Carolinas Men's Lacrosse Championship, the league announced today. The Saints earned 60 points and six first-place votes from coaches.
Limestone is coming off a third straight NCAA Division II National Championship Game appearance and is looking to make another deep tournament run. The Saints set the NCAA Division II record with 21 wins a season ago, with their only blemish coming in the national title game. Limestone has won 10 consecutive Conference Carolinas regular season crowns and is a combined 51-1 in league play since the conference first sponsored men's lacrosse in 2007.
The University of Mount Olive collected 55 points and one first-place vote from the coaches to enter 2017 second in the poll. The Trojans received the program's first-ever bid to the NCAA Division II Men's Lacrosse Championship in 2016 after going 13-5 overall and 5-1 in Conference Carolinas action. Three of Mount Olive's five losses came at the hands of Limestone.
Belmont Abbey College placed third in the poll with 50 points. The Crusaders are coming off a 2016 season that saw them go 12-4 overall and 4-2 in conference action.
North Greenville University was tabbed fourth after receiving 43 points, followed closely by Pfeiffer University in fifth with 42 points.
The Crusaders of North Greenville finished 2016 with a 5-10 record and 2-4 mark in Conference Carolinas. The Falcons posted an 8-7 overall record and 3-3 league record.
Lees-McRae College and Chowan University close out the poll in sixth and seventh with 33 and 32 points, respectively. The Bobcats were 3-12 overall and 1-5 in conference. The Hawks, who are associate members of Conference Carolinas, embark on their inaugural season in 2017.
The 2017 Conference Carolinas men's lacrosse season begins on Saturday, Feb. 10.
2017 Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
| School (first-place votes) |
Total |
| 1. Limestone (6) |
60 |
| 2. Mount Olive (1) |
55 |
| 3. Belmont Abbey |
50 |
| 4. North Greenville |
43 |
| 5. Pfeiffer |
42 |
| 6. Lees-McRae |
33 |
| 7. Chowan |
32 |
2017 Conference Carolinas Men's Lacrosse Players to Watch:
Preseason Player of the Year
Zach Murphy (Fr.) - Attack, Limestone (Team IMPACT)
Attack (Year):
Adam Wiedemann (Jr.) - Belmont Abbey
Alec Molander (So.) - Lees-McRae
Dane Carney (Sr.) - Lees-McRae
Charlie Sheehan (Jr.) - Limestone
Colton Watkinson (Sr.) - Limestone
Brett Kingston (Sr.) - Mount Olive
Blade Garlow (Sr.) - Pfeiffer
Midfield (Year):
Kyle McGinley (Jr.) - Belmont Abbey
Kevin Reisman (Sr.) - Limestone
Jesse Mitchell (Sr.) - Mount Olive
Alex Proly (So.) - North Greenville
Ben Austin (Sr.) - Pfeiffer
Defense (Year):
Caleb Culverhouse (Fr.) - Lees-McRae
Tyler Gaulton (Jr.) - Limestone
Cole Groebner (Jr.) - Mount Olive
Sky Dupree (So.) - North Greenville
Goalie (Year):
Harley Whitman (Jr.) - Belmont Abbey
Mike Moorehead (Jr.) - Pfeiffer
Conference Carolinas is a NCAA Division II athletics conference made up of 12 teams from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. These institutions consist of: Barton College, Belmont Abbey College, Converse College, Emmanuel College, Erskine College, King University, Lees-McRae College, Limestone College, University of Mount Olive, North Greenville University, Pfeiffer University, and Southern Wesleyan University. Emmanuel College is currently completing the NCAA Membership Process and will be fully competing in league championships in the near future.