March 07, 2009
Nationally
ranked for the first time since returning to competition in 2005,
the St. John’s men’s lacrosse team stands at 4-0 in their fifth
season. The team posted a 10-9 upset of then-No. 5 Georgetown. On
Saturday, Feb. 28, the team took the No. 19 spot in the United
States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association's (USILA) Top 20
Coaches Poll as announced by officials on Monday, March 2. With 26
votes, the Red Storm is ranked ahead of No. 20 Bucknell. The Red
Storm also edged out Villanova, Denver, Colgate and Army, who also
received votes outside of the poll.
In addition to the USILA Coaches Poll, St. John's received votes in
the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. With 15 votes, the Red Storm
is just outside of the top 20, three votes behind Bucknell (1-2).
The Nike/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll is voted upon by members of the
lacrosse media from around the country.
Five of St. John's opponents are ranked in this week’s polls,
including No. 7/7 Notre Dame (2-0), No. 12/11 Georgetown (1-1), No.
13/13 Duke (2-2), No. 14/16 Loyola (2-1) and No. 17/19 UMass
(2-1).
St. John's
is also ranked No. 17 in the Rock-It Pocket LaxNews.com poll, ahead
of No. 18 Ohio State, No. 19 Bucknell and No. 20 Army.
After three weeks of competition, St. John's has the fifth-best RPI
(.667) of 59 Division I lacrosse programs. Hofstra, Villanova,
Georgetown and North Carolina are the only teams in the nation
currently rated ahead of the Red Storm in that category.
In the national statistical rankings, St. John's is ranked first in
face-off win percentage (.697). Individually, senior Dom DeNapoli
is ranked second in the nation in face-off win percentage (.694).
DeNapoli is also the NCAA Division I leader in ground balls per
game as he has picked up an average of 13.0 as St. John's leading
long stick midfielder.
St. John's completed its three-game homestand in a non-conference
matchup against the
Drexel University Dragons on Saturday, March 7.
Read more at www.RedStormSports.com.