Feb. 8, 2010

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Coming off their Final Four appearance in 2009, the Men's Lacrosse team earned enough votes to be placed at #3 in the MCLA D2 pre-season poll. Head Coach Bob Clarkson and his Panthers will open the season on February 13 when they take on Oakland University in Pontiac.

Last season, the Panthers reached new heights by winning their division of the CCLA, finishing runner-up in the CCLA tournament and making it all the way to the Final Four in the National Tournament held in Denver, CO.

Many of the top players from that team return this season including 1st Team All-American Jordy Sayers (Davison, Mich.) as well as leading point scorer Shawn Beer (Aurora, Ontario). In the Lacrosse Magazine release of the top teams and players from each division, Beer was chosen by the fans as the pre-season player of the year.

The rankings, compiled by Lacrosse Magazine staff after consultations with coaches, put the defending National Champions St. Thomas on top this season followed by Dayton and Davenport. St. Thomas was the team that knocked DU out of the National Tournament last season and Dayton handed the Panthers two of their four losses.

Chosen by the magazine as its MCLA D2 player of the year was Joe Costello of St. Thomas.

Clarkson has put together a demanding schedule for the 2010 season that will include games against #2 Dayton (home on March 12), #4 GVSU (home on April 15), #5 St. John's (home on March 14), #6 Emory (Feb. 21 in Atlanta), and #15 Hope (home on March 4).

DU will also face tough tests when traveling to Atlanta to also face SCAD and Kennesaw State while battling in state rivals such as Saginaw Valley, Calvin, Northern Michigan and Ferris State.

Stay tuned to www.dupanthers.com all season to follow along with the men's lacrosse team as some of their games will be broadcast live on the internet through the Davenport Athletics Network (DAN).