Moon Township, Pa. – According to a poll of ASUN head coaches, the RMU men's lacrosse team has been picked to finish third in the league in 2023. The poll was announced Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. by the ASUN Conference.
Tabbed as the 2023 preseason favorite is Utah who earned three first-place votes and a total of 92 points. Robert Morris was victorious against the Utes last season in the ASUN Championship, winning the title, 18-17 in overtime. Jacksonville received more first-place votes with four but compiled 90 points. Picked to finish third is RMU. The Colonials earned three first-place votes and finished with 85 points in the voting. No other programs were picked by head coaches to finish first in the 2023 season.
RELEASE: #ASUNMLAX Preseason Awards Announced
Led by
Craig McDonald who enters his second year as head coach of the Colonials, RMU returns many key players from a squad that won the ASUN Championship and a first-round tournament appearance in the NCAA playoff bracket. McDonald owns a 10-6 overall record and 4-1 conference record in his first year at RMU.
Graduate student
Owen Down received the honor of Preseason All-Conference at the defensive position. Down was named a captain for the Colonials heading into the 2023 season. From Scarborough, Ontario, the 6-4 defenseman adds a veteran presence to the lineup. Down made the All-Conference second-team this past season. He's currently ranked ninth all-time in caused turnovers in the ASUN with 17. His 33 ground balls last year are good for 15
th all-time. Selected to the all-tournament team in the ASUN's first playoff series, the Colonials bring back one of the best defenders in the conference.
RMU also returns a few second-team all-conference players from 2022, including
Bo Columbus and
Taggart Clark. Back on the squad also, is sophomore goalie
Nate Randall who made the all-freshman team.
Face-off specialist
Bo Columbus entering his junior year was 179-for-324 (.552) on face-offs in the 2022 season. Columbus picked up 68 ground balls last season which is the second most in ASUN history. Clark is currently the all-time leading scorer in the ASUN with an impressive 48 goals this past season. He also added 17 assists, equaling 65 points in production. Randall won six games in the 2022 campaign and made 112 saves his freshman year.
Bolstering the lineup even more will be
Will Johansen,
Elliot Holden and
James Leary who all received All-Tournament honors as they helped lead the Colonials to an ASUN Championship victory. Graduate student
Will Johansen scored nine goals and nine helpers in 2022. Attacker
Elliot Holden produced eight goals and five assists, including the game-winner against Utah in the championship game. Defensive midfielder
James Leary scored six goals and two assists for the Colonials last year, and added 48 ground balls and 27 caused turnovers.
The 2023 regular season for RMU begins Saturday, Feb. 11, as the Colonials go on the road to Bucknell for a 2:00 p.m. game. RMU's first home game at Joe Walton Stadium will be on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 4:00 p.m. against St. Bonaventure. ASUN conference games begin in mid-march.
Season tickets for the 2023 season are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the RMU Ticket Office at (412) 397-4949.
2023 #ASUNMLAX Preseason Poll
| Pl. Team (1st Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Utah (3) |
92 |
| 2. Jacksonville (4) |
90 |
| 3. RMU (3) |
85 |
| 4. Air Force |
69 |
| 5. Bellarmine |
62 |
| 6. Mercer |
49 |
| 7. Cleveland State |
38 |
| 8. Detroit Mercy |
35 |
| 9. Lindenwood |
17 |
| 10. Queens |
13 |
Follow The Colonials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | RMU Athletics Gameday App
