LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) announced the preseason coaches poll and preseason All-American team Thursday afternoon for men's lacrosse. The Big Red is found on both lists for the second consecutive season.

Cornell enters the season as the #7 ranked team in the country. The Big Red is coming off an 11-4 season in 2023 where the team bested five ranked opponents in addition to three others that were receiving votes. This year, The Richard M. Moran Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse, Connor Buczek, is poised to lead his team through a season where only two of 13 opponents are not receiving votes in either the USILA or Inside Lacrosse preseason poll. Upcoming foes Notre Dame, Penn State, and Yale join Cornell in the top 10 of both polls.

CJ Kirst is the Big Red's lone representative on the USILA preseason All-American teams. Tabbed as a second-teamer in the 2023 preseason poll, Kirst led the nation in points per game and goals per game last year, earning recognition as a USILA first-team All-American, Tewaaraton finalist, and was bestowed the USILA Lt. Col. Jack Turnbull Award for Outstanding Attackman. This year, he enters the season as a first-team recognizee.

Cornell gets its first taste of action on Saturday, Feb. 17 when the team hosts Lehigh at Schoellkopf Field.