NEW YORK – Six-time regular-season champion Denver was picked first in the 2020 BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse preseason poll. Pioneer senior attackman Ethan Walker earned preseason nods as Offensive Player of the Year while Georgetown junior Gibson Smith was the unanimous favorite for preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Villanova was selected second in the preseason poll with 22 points. The Wildcats also earned two first-place votes. Georgetown, the 2019 and 2018 BIG EAST tournament champions was picked third with 17 points. Providence (13 points), Marquette (nine points) and St. John’s (five points) rounded out the poll.