NEW YORK – Fresh off winning its third consecutive BIG EAST Championship title, Georgetown was picked first in the 2022 BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Denver midfielder Jack Hannah was named BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Georgetown goalie Owen McElroy was chosen as the BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Georgetown, the coaches’ unanimous preseason favorite, received five first-place votes and 25 points. With 21 points, Denver was selected second in the poll and received the remaining first-place vote. Georgetown capped the 2021 campaign 13-3 (9-1 BIG EAST) and reached the NCAA Quarterfinals. Denver finished 12-5 (9-1 BE) and claimed at least a share of the BIG EAST regular-season title for the seventh-straight season. Georgetown was ranked No. 7 and Denver was No. 13 in the final RPI rankings of the 2021 season.
Villanova was picked to finish third with 17 points, with Marquette close behind with 13. The Wildcats capped the year 7-5 (6-4 BE) and ranked No. 25 in the RPI. The Golden Eagles closed out 4-8 (3-7 BE).
Rounding out the poll were Providence (nine points) and St. John’s (five points).
Along with the preseason coaches’ poll and awards, the BIG EAST also released the coaches’ picks for the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Coaches were not permitted to vote for themselves or their players.
Defending BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year McElroy was selected as the BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The graduate student Led the NCAA in goals-against average (8.38) and ranked fifth in save percentage (0.583) in 2021, while anchoring the Georgetown defense that led the NCAA in scoring defense (8.31) and man-down defense (0.829). Last month, McElroy was tabbed a Preseason First Team All-American and Preseason Goalie of the Year by USA Lacrosse Magazine. Putting on a dazzling display in net at the 2021 BIG EAST Championship, the native of Ridgewood, N.J., was named the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player.
After claiming BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year honors in 2021, Hannah was selected as the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. A First Team All-American, the graduate student capped the 2021 season second on the team with 37 goals and ranked eighth in the BIG EAST with 2.18 goals per game. Overall, he notched 47 points (37 g, 10 a). In December, the Milford, Ohio, native garnered USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Midfielder of the Year honors.
Hannah and McElroy were unanimously selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Additionally, Georgetown’s Will Bowen (defender), Graham Bundy, Jr. (midfielder), Alex Mazzone (long-stick midfielder) and Gibson Smith IV (defender); Marquette’s Mason Woodward (defender); Villanova’s Matt Campbell (midfielder) were also unanimous.
The full list of the preseason All-BIG EAST team is listed below.
BIG EAST Preseason Men’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Poll
First-place votes in ( )
1. Georgetown (5) 25 pts.
2. Denver (1) 21
3. Villanova 17
4. Marquette 13
5. Providence 9
6. St. John's 5
BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Jack Hannah, Denver, M
BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Owen McElroy, Georgetown, GK
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team*
Owen McElroy, Georgetown, GK ^
Devon Cowan, Marquette, A
TJ Haley, Georgetown, A
Matt Grillo, Providence, A
Alex Simmons, Denver, A
Matt Campbell, Villanova, M ^
Graham Bundy, Jr., Georgetown, M ^
Jack Hannah, Denver, M ^
Will Bowen, Georgetown, D ^
Mason Woodward, Marquette, D ^
Gibson Smith IV, Georgetown, D ^
Alex Mazzone, Georgetown, LSM ^
Zachary Geddes, Georgetown, SSDM
James Reilly, Georgetown, FOS
^ denotes unanimous selection
* There is an extra member on the preseason all-conference team due to a tie in voting