BALTIMORE – The Big Red men's lacrosse team is ranked 10th overall in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as was announced this afternoon. Cornell has appeared in the top 10 of the USILA preseason poll in 11 of the past 12 seasons.  
 
The Big Red is the only Ivy League team to appear in the top 10 of the poll, with Harvard, Penn and Yale also making an appearance in the top 20.  Cornell received 177 points and sits just behind No. 9 Virginia, who will welcome the Big Red to Charlottesville on Saturday, March 7.  Altogether, seven of Cornell's 2015 opponents rank in the poll, including non-conference games vs. No. 4 Syracuse, No. 12 Albany and No. 17 Hofstra.

The Big Red returns eight starters and 19 letter winners to a squad that finished 11-5 overall (5-1 Ivy) a year ago. Among the top returners are All-Americans Connor Buczek, Matt Donovan, Dan Lintner, and Jordan Stevens, as well as the 2014 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Christian Knight.

The Big Red opens its season on Sunday, Feb. 15 when it faces No. 4 Syracuse at the Carrier Dome.

USILA PRESEASON POLL
1. Denver           
2. Notre Dame 
3. Duke
4. Syracuse        
5. Johns Hopkins             
6. North Carolina             
7. Loyola             
8. Maryland       
9. Virginia           
10. Cornell          
11. Harvard        
12. Albany          
13. Penn             
14. Penn State  
15. Yale
16. Drexel           
17. Hofstra         
18. Lehigh           
19. Bryant           
20. Army             
 
ORV: Ohio State, Princeton, UMass, Towson, Villanova, St. John's, Fairfield, Air Force, Brown, Bucknell, Navy