Fresh off winning its fifth consecutive BIG EAST Championship title, Georgetown was picked first in the 2024 BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll. 

Hoyas midfielder Graham Bundy, Jr. was named BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Marquette defender Mason Woodward was chosen as the BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. 

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Georgetown, the coaches’ unanimous preseason favorite, received five first-place votes and 25 points. With 21 points, Denver was selected second in the poll. Georgetown capped the 2023 campaign 13-4 (5-0 BIG EAST), coming up short in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 2 seed Virginia, 17-14. Denver finished 10-5 (4-1 BE) a season ago. The Pioneers enter the 2024 season ranked No. 11 in the USA Lacrosse Preseason Poll, while the Hoyas enter the year ranked No. 12.

Trio of #Hoyas Named @USALacrosseMag Preseason All-Americans#HOYASAXA #GATA https://t.co/CfZKg7I8oy

— Georgetown MLacrosse (@HoyasMLacrosse) January 17, 2024

Receiving votes in the poll, Marquette and Villanova have been projected by the coaches to round out the top-four. Marquette was picked to finish third with 16 points, just ahead of Villanova with 14. The Golden Eagles capped the year 6-8 (1-4 BE). The Wildcats closed out the year 10-5 (3-2 BE).

Earning the fourth seed in the 2023 BIG EAST Championship Presented by Jeep, Providence was picked fifth in the poll with nine points. St. John’s rounded out the rankings with five points.

A unanimous 2023 All-BIG EAST first-team selection and 2022 BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year, Graham Bundy Jr., was selected as the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. A Second Team All-American, the graduate student capped the 2023 season with 44 points (32 goals, 12 assists) in 17 starts. Overall, he moved into eighth place on the all-time scoring list at Georgetown with 175 career points (121 goals, 54 assists). In 2023, he had 11 multi-goal games, including five games with at least three goals.

A unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection and USILA Third Team All-America honoree, Marquette’s Mason Woodward was unanimously selected as the BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The graduate student is the program's all-time leader in ground balls per game (4.71 per contest) and begins his 2024 campaign just six behind Marquette's all-time ground ball leader Liam Byrnes (218) with 212. He ended the 2023 regular season second in NCAA Division I among close defensemen in ground balls per game (5.00). Most recently, he was named to the USA Lacrosse Preseason All-America Second Team.

Along with the preseason coaches’ poll and awards, the BIG EAST also released the coaches’ picks for the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Coaches were not permitted to vote for themselves or their players.  

Bundy, Jr., and Woodward were unanimously selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Additionally, Denver’s AJ Mercurio (defender) and Alec Stathakis (face-off specialist); Georgetown’s Alex Vardaro (midfielder); Marquette’s Devon Cowan (attacker); Providence’s James Corasaniti (goalkeeper); and Villanova’s Reid Colwell (defender) were also unanimous.

The full list of the preseason All-BIG EAST team is listed below.

BIG EAST Preseason Men’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Poll

First-place votes in ( )

1. Georgetown (5)  25 pts.
2. Denver (1)            21
3. Marquette           16
4. Villanova             14
5. Providence           9
6. St. John's              5

BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Graham Bundy Jr., Georgetown, Gr., M ^

BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Mason Woodward, Marquette, Gr., D ^

Preseason All-BIG EAST Team

• AJ Mercurio, Denver, Gr., D ^
• JJ Sillstrop, Denver, Gr., A
• Alec Stathakis, Denver, Gr., FOS ^
• Graham Bundy Jr., Georgetown, Gr., M ^
• Dylan Hess, Georgetown, Sr., SSD
• Alex Vardaro, Georgetown, Gr., M ^
• Devon Cowan, Marquette, Gr., A ^
• Bobby O'Grady, Marquette, Jr., A
• Mason Woodward, Marquette, Gr., D ^
• Ryan Bell, Providence, Jr., M
• Michael Chabra, Providence, Sr., M
• James Corasaniti, Providence, Gr., GK ^
• Reid Colwell, Villanova, Sr., D ^

 ^ denotes unanimous selection

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