UMO receives votes in national men’s lacrosse poll

MOUNT OLIVE – Following double-digit wins and a trip to the Conference Carolinas Championship in 2022, the University of Mount Olive men’s lacrosse program received votes in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division II Men’s Preseason Top 20, as announced by USA Lacrosse Magazine recently.

The Trojans made their fifth appearance in the league tournament final last season following a 10-6 record with a 5-1 mark in conference play. Mount Olive collected at least 10 wins for the eighth time in program history, but will feature new leadership at the helm for the first time in a decade. Head Coach Dylan Price returns to UMO after a one-year stint at William Peace in the same role. He previously served seven years with the Mount Olive men’s lacrosse team, including three years as the associate head coach.

UMO returns five all-conference recipients from 2022, including a pair of first-team selections. Senior Mike Marto returns for his final year after earning USILA All-Region honors and First-Team All-Conference last season while pacing the league with a .648 face-off winning percentage. Junior Aidan Lalonde earned first-team laurels in 2022 following a team-leading 38 goals and 10 assists in 15 starts.

Defending national champions Tampa was chosen as the preseason favorite following an undefeated 21-0 record last year. The Spartans return a majority of their starting lineup from 2022 under second-year head coach J.B. Clarke. Mercy was selected second in the poll following a runner-up finish in the national title game and a 16-2 record. Wingate was tabbed third in the rankings after a trip to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals, while Mercyhurst and Adelphi rounded out the top five in the preseason poll.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics