Belmont Abbey Picked to Edge Mount Olive in Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
GREENVILLE, S.C. – One vote separates 2021 Conference Carolinas men’s lacrosse regular season co-champions Belmont Abbey and Mount Olive in the preseason coaches’ poll with the Crusaders selected to take home the crown.
Belmont Abbey and 2019 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year Noah Haas garnered 33 points and four of seven first-place votes while Mount Olive, led by 2021 Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year Andrew Avarello, was ranked second with 32 points and the remaining three first-place tallies. North Greenville, which returns 2021 Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year Thomas Cecere and 2021 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year Devin Napoli, were ranked third with 26 points.
Barton was chosen fourth with 23 points followed by Emmanuel (15), Lees-McRae (11) and Chowan (7).
The regular season gets underway on Friday, Feb. 4 with the conference tournament getting underway on April 26. The semifinals and finals of the championship will be held April 29 and May 1 at Barton in Wilson, North Carolina.
2022 Conference Carolinas
Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
| School |
Total (First Place) |
| Belmont Abbey |
33 (4) |
| Mount Olive |
32 (3) |
| North Greenville |
26 |
| Barton |
23 |
| Emmanuel |
15 |
| Lees-McRae |
11 |
| Chowan |
7 |
2022 Conference Carolinas Men’s Lacrosse
Players to Watch
Barton
- Mark Crawford, Jr., MF, Chesapeake Beach, Maryland (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team)
- Pat Farist, Jr., FO, Cincinnati, Ohio (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Colton Riat, Jr., D, Warwick, New York
Belmont Abbey
- Noah Haas, Sr., A, Gulf Breeze, Florida (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team, USILA Second Team All-Region, NCAA All-American Honorable Mention; 2019 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
- Bailey Williams, Sr., A, Buford, Georgia
- Neil Lingerman, Sr., D, Goshen, New York (2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas, USILA Third Team All-Region)
Chowan
- Eric George, So. A, Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
- Jackson Downs, R-Sr., MF, Olney, Maryland (2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Emmanuel
- Shamaz Durrant, Sr., A/MF, Grayson, Georgia (2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Allan Velasquez, Sr., MF, Norcross, Georgia
- Adam Gallop, Jr., FO, New Brunswick, Canada
Lees-McRae
- Antonio Cruz, Sr., G, Wilmington, North Carolina
- JP Galloway, Sr., A, Frederick, Maryland
- Rob Mendez, Sr., MF, Mooresville, North Carolina
Mount Olive
- Andrew Avarello, Gr., G, Clarence, New York (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year, USILA First Team All-Region, USILA South Region Defensive Player of the Year; 2019 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team)
- Lucas Shein, Sr., MF, British Columbia, Canada (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, USILA Second Team All-Region)
- Chaz Goodman, Jr., A/MF, Odenton, Maryland
North Greenville
- Thomas Cecere, R-Jr., A, Grand Island, New York (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Offensive Player of the Year, USILA Third Team All-Region )
- Collin Courtney, R-Jr., LSM, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team)
- Brady Hope, Jr., FO, Binghamton, New York (2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)