ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Roberts Wesleyan College men's lacrosse team is receiving some preseason attention in 2022.
The Redhawks, who advanced to the East Coast Conference championship game for the first time in 2021, are ranked third in the
ECC Preseason Poll and senior
Hunter Lemieux has been named Co-Preseason Offensive Player of the Year along with Brady Kearnan of Mercy College.
"I am just excited to see the growth and development of the players each year," said Roberts coach
Rocky Delfino, whose team went 7-5 last spring. "I am very grateful that I have a lot of graduate students that decided to stay with the program. We are eager to get out on the field and see what we can do this season."
Mercy, which defeated Roberts 7-5 in the ECC title game, received all seven first place votes to rank first in the poll with 49 points. Frostburg State is second with 41 points, followed by Roberts (34), Molloy College (29), St. Thomas Aquinas College (18), University of the District of Columbia (16) and D'Youville College (9).
Lemieux, who was drafted 15
th overall by the Philadelphia Wings in the 2021 National Lacrosse League draft, led the ECC with 47 goals, six man-up goals and 60 points while earning ECC Offensive Player of the Year last spring. He was named an honorable mention USILA All-American and ranked seventh in Division II in total goals, fourth in goals per game (3.92) and 12
th in points per game (5.00).
"He is just an all-around great individual," Delfino said. "He uses box lacrosse concepts in the field game to really capitalize on his strengths. He is a big body and he uses every bit of his God-given ability, plus he has heart and a tremendous will to succeed."
Roberts opens its season on Feb. 22 against Post University in Waterbury, Conn.
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