Salisbury was predicted as the preseason favorite to win the inaugural Coastal Lacrosse Conference title, based on a poll of the league's six head coaches.
The Sea Gulls, who advanced to the 2022 NCAA quarterfinal round, garnered four first-place votes and a total of 24 points in the voting. Christopher Newport, also an NCAA quarterfinalist last season, picked up two first-place votes and a total of 22 points in the close balloting.
Stockton earned 17 points and is predicted third. Kean (11 points), Montclair State (10 points), and Mary Washington (6 points) round out the preseason predictions.
Salisbury opened the 2023 campaign early on Sunday, Feb. 5, with a win over Berry. Mary Washington's season debut is on Saturday, Feb. 11. CNU, Kean, Montclair State, and Stockton will be in action the following week.
The inaugural CLC Championship is slated for May 2-7, with the quarterfinal round games on May 2 at campus sites. The semifinals and final are set for May 5 and 7 on the campus of the top-seeded team.
Salisbury
Salisbury enters 2023 ranked 3rd in the Inside Lacrosse and 6th in the USA Lacrosse national preseason polls. The Sea Gulls bring back a total of 11 players named to the preseason All-America teams after posting a 20-2 record and running to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2022, including three players tabbed First Team Preseason All-Americans (Cross Ferrara, Jack Dowd, and John DeFazio). Ferrara is 26 goals away from the all-time goals record in Division III and 100 points away from the all-time points record. Head Coach Jim Berkman is two wins away from 600 career wins and 11 wins away from 600 at Salisbury.
Newcomer(s) to Watch: Jude Brown (Attack; Towson, Md./John Carroll), Jeremiah Stafford (LSM; Darien, Conn./Darien HS)
Christopher Newport
After advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals last year, the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team returns an impressive collection of veteran contributors, including nine Preseason All-Americans. Head coach Mikey Thompson's squad features Coby Auslander, who was selected as the National Preseason Player of the Year by
USA Lacrosse Magazine. Andrew Cook was also celebrated as a first-team Preseason All-American, while Campbell Pozin is the reigning USILA National Short Stick Defensive Midfielder of the Year. The Captains head into 2023 ranked 2nd by USA Lacrosse Magazine and 4th in the Inside Lacrosse preseason poll.
Newcomer(s) to Watch: AJ Rosacker (Defense; Delray Beach, Fla./Saint John Paul II)
Stockton
Stockton, the 2022 D3 leader points per game, returns a slew of players from a squad that won the CSAC Championship and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Ospreys boast four Preseason All-Americans, including 2022 CSAC Player of the Year Dante Poli who ranked second in the nation in points per game last year and Luc Swedlund who ranked fourth nationally in goals per game. Tyler Horvath and Brendon Scanlon also earned Preseason All-America nods.
Newcomer(s) to Watch: Connor Jablonski (Defense; Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS), Steven Woolery (SSDM; Media, Pa./Penncrest/Jacksonville University)
Kean
Kean graduated 16 seniors last season and is expected to be very young in certain positions across the field; however there is a strong core of seniors whoo have championship experience from the 2021 CSAC Conference Championship and NCAA appearance. Kean will rely on a mix of strong senior leadership and fresh faces as there are 20 newcomers on roster. Kean posted a 10-win season last year and returns a handful of players who earned All-CSAC honors to a team that outscored opponents 269-144 in 2022. Connor Batjer (31 goals, 26 assists), Anthony Porter (21 goals, 30 assists), and Tommy Pellegrino (21 goals, 11 assists) will lead the offensive unit. The Cougar defense returns all-conference players Steven Thorne and Kenny Yeager along with three-year starter Hunter Jenkinson.
Newcomer(s) to Watch: Tyler Nolan (Defense; Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell/NJIT), Jackson Earley (Midfield; New Hope, Pa./Council Rock North/Arcadia), Dylan Johnson (Attack; Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central)
Montclair State
The Red Hawks return a strong lineup including six of last year's top seven scorers, including the second-leading scorer in the CSAC last year in Tyler McCreery. McCreery hit the 100-point mark last season with 48 goals and 57 assists for 105 points. MSU also brings back the overwhelming majority of last year's starting defense, including defensemen Aidan Long and Jack Greco along with goalie David Metzger. The Red Hawks are coming off of a 12-5 season including a berth in the CSAC championship game last year.
Newcomer(s) to Watch: Daren Mayer (LSM; Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central/Wagner), Ryan Vierbuchen (Attack; Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough HS)
Mary Washington
Mary Washington opens play in the CLC with a veteran cast looking to challenge for top conference honors. Back is top returning scorer J.D. Nozemack (44 goals, 37 assists) from injury, as well as returning starters Hunter Tipton, Nathan Turney, Ethan Mollman, John Staugaitis, and goalie Riley Green, who set a UMW school record with 206 saves a year ago. Garrett Keogh (19 goals) and Ethan Castleman (12) will looked upon for continued production on offense, as will Michael Seraphin-Jones (eight goals).
Newcomer(s) to Watch: Henry Moag (Attack; Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield/Cabrini), Jake Furman (Attack; Phoenix, Md./Hereford/Washington College)