* First Day of Practice Video Preview (coming soon)
* 2013 Cornell Men's Lacrosse Quick Facts 
* USILA Coaches' Preseason Poll
* Faceoff Yearbook Preseason Media Poll
* Faceoff Yearbook/Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-Americans
* Faceoff Yearbook Ivy League Outlook

Experience and versatility ... Those are the two words that best describe the 2013 edition of the Cornell men's lacrosse team.

The experience comes in the form of 19 letter winners, including the return of arguably the nation's best attack unit, as well as every defender who saw significant playing time a year ago.

The versatility comes in the form of depth and personnel that can play several different positions.

Experience and versatility ... It is those two words that have fans of the Big Red using another two words – cautiously optimistic.

After watching the reigning national Player of the Year, Rob Pannell, go down in the second game of the 2012 season, no one understands to be cautious more than the residents of East Hill. Even still, there is excitement in the air at the thought of what a team with this kind of experience and versatility might be able to accomplish.

Cornell, which is ranked eighth overall in the USILA preseason coaches' poll, will benefit tremendously from the return of Pannell, who was granted a fifth-year eligibility waiver through the Ivy League Office. After taking a leave of absence in the fall, the two-time national attackman of the year will look to continue his climb up the Cornell charts, as he enters the season ranking second overall in career assists (149), third in career points (252) and sixth overall in career goals (103).

He will be joined on the attack by senior Steve Mock and sophomore Matt Donovan. Over the past three seasons, Mock has proven to be a great finisher with a knack for getting open around the crease and converting for the Big Red. He has collected 84 career goals, including a high of 40 in 2011, and he earned an All-Ivy selection last season.

The reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Donovan took over the Big Red offense after Pannell's season-ending injury, and went on to lead the team in points (32) and assists (14) despite consistently drawing the opposing team's top defender.

The Big Red also returns Connor English, who could push for time on the attack, or make a move to the midfield, where Cornell takes its biggest hit with the loss of All-American Roy Lang '12, All-Ivy performer Chris Langton '12, as well as JJ Gilbane '12 and Scott Austin '12. Last season, that quartet accounted for 52 goals (33 percent) and 14 assists.

English has the ability to dodge and proved to be a consistent threat, registering at least one point in all 13 games last season and scoring in 12-of-13 contests. A transfer from UVA, he finished his first year with the Big Red ranking second on the team in goals (20) and was fourth overall in both points (28) and assists (8). 

Returning from last season's midfield will be senior Max Van Bourgondien and junior Mike O'Neil.

One of the biggest surprises of the 2012 season, Van Bourgondien saw a significant jump in playing time as he landed on the first line offensive midfield and finished the year with career highs in goals (17), assists (12) and points (29).

O'Neil returns as the most senior member of the Cornell midfield, having played on the first two offensive midfield lines since his arrival. He finished 2012 with four goals, one assist and five ground balls.

Senior Ross Gillum returns to the midfield after missing last season with an injury and he will join sophomores Connor Buczek and John Hogan in an early season battle for playing time.

Gillum has 10 career goals and four career assists, while Buczek and Hogan both saw limited playing time as rookies, seeing action in five and three games, respectively, and each registering one goal.

Also working out of the midfield will be returning face-off man Doug Tesoriero.

Tesoriero was the Big Red's main face-off man during his sophomore season, ranking 13th in the nation with a .593 winning percentage. He also ranked second in the Ivy League and 27th in the country with 4.62 ground balls per game.

Cornell's defense looks rock solid, headlined by the return of two-time All-American Jason Noble and fellow senior Mike Bronzino. One of the best defensive combinations in the country, the pair was responsible for 63 ground balls and 38 caused turnovers, with Noble ranking eighth in the country with 2.0 caused turnovers per game.

In the third defensive spot, the Big Red will use the services of junior Tom Freshour and sophomore Jordan Stevens. Freshour moved into a starting role on defense last season and provides flexibility by being able to move into the midfield, while Stevens gained valuable experience as a rookie, playing in all 13 games and making six starts. Freshour registered 25 ground balls and caused 12 turnovers, while Stevens collected 10 ground balls and caused four turnovers.

In addition to Freshour being able to play in the defensive midfield, Cornell returns long stick senior midfielder Thomas Keith, as well as short-stick senior midfielder Tom Trasolini, junior Joe Paoletta and sophomore Mike Huttner, all of whom saw significant action a year ago.

An All-Ivy selection in 2012, Keith has started the past two seasons for the Big Red. A tenacious player with a knack for picking off passes, he caused 12 turnovers in 2012 and ranked second in the Ivy League and 27th in the country with 4.62 ground balls per game.

Trasolini has been a regular on the short-stick defensive unit since his rookie season and he finished last year with 10 ground balls and five caused turnovers.

Huttner and Paoletta will both look to fill the second spot after a 2012 season in which they both played significant minutes. Huttner appeared in all 13 games and picked up seven ground balls, while Paoletta finished the year with five ground balls and one caused turnover.

The experience in the defensive end of the field extends all the way to the goal where Cornell will once again see a fierce battle between junior Andrew West and senior AJ Fiore. Last season, West wrestled the starting job away from Fiore, who had started the previous two campaigns for Cornell, and he finished the year with an 8-3 record and ranked second in the Ivy League and 11th in the country with an 8.29 goals-against average. Fiore continued to press for playing time all year long and managed to see action in five games and posted a 1-1 record to go along with an 11.98 goals against average.  

Cornell opens its season with the longest-running series in college lacrosse, as it meets Hobart for the 134th time in program history on Sunday, Feb. 24.