Midsummer Night’s Ranking: Men’s NCAA D-III

by Jac Coyne | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff | Coyne Archive | Twitter

With nearly 85 percent of the points returning for the 2011 campaign - including a 91 amassed by senior D.J. Hessler - Tufts won't surprise anyone if it end sup at the top of the midsummer power rankings.

Division II Power Rankings

I’ve been doing A Midsummer’s Night Power Ranking for NCAA men’s Division III for four or five years now, spanning three different website overhauls and three different states, but never have I had as many teams legitimately capable of cracking the Top 20 than this summer.

Before I re-checked any of last year’s records or dug into which teams took personnel hits and which had the most talent coming back in 2011, I quickly jotted down a list of teams I would have to check out for the power rankings.

On my first go around I had 35 teams, and that was before I went back to make sure I hadn’t forgotten any programs. When I finally started the research, I had 39 total teams.

I was surprised – pleasantly so – because typically I’ll have about 23 to 25 teams that need to be pared down to 20, and then it’s a case of just reshuffling the usual suspects to account for graduation, points returning, starters lost, etc.

This year I had 12 teams in contention for the last five spots in the ranking. When the dust cleared I had a solid Top 20, even though it did not include such mainstays as Ohio Wesleyan, Ithaca, Washington & Lee, Wesleyan and St. Lawrence. Recently ascendant programs such as Union, Montclair State, WNEC and St. John Fisher didn’t pass muster, either.

Before we get to the rankings, a note: please don’t confuse this with any kind of Lacrosse Magazine preseason ranking. This has nothing to do with it – these are just my personal power rankings. LM’s preseason polls will be rolled out in December.

On to A Midsummer’s Night Power Ranking for MD3…

20. Nazareth (12-5)
Starters returning: 6
Points returning: 218 of 331 (65.9%)
Key Loss: Mark DeCirce. The leading goal-scorer for the Flyers (38), DeCirce was a beast on the extra-man with 10 markers. While Naz has plenty of punch left with Joe Jacobs-Ferderbar and C.J. Estes, they’ll miss DeCirce’s accuracy.
Key Returner: Grant Williams. The Houston product has been groomed for the starting goalie role over the past two years, and if he can step in and give the Flyers a veteran presence it will save a lot of headaches and avoid the steep learning curve that comes with breaking in a frosh between the pipes.
The Golden Flyers will be better if: they finish stronger. It seems obvious, but there was a difference between the Flyers’ finishing kick in 2009 as opposed to that of 2010. There are enough experienced leaders on Naz to make sure they are primed at the right time.
The Golden Flyers will be worse if: they take too long to find their identity after losing some key contributors. Ithaca found itself in the second half of the season, but by then the damage was done. Nazareth can’t afford to follow that path. Fortunately, Rob Randall has been through these situations before.

19. Bowdoin (9-7)
Starters returning: 6
Points returning: 177 of 245 (72.2%)
Key Loss: Adam Tracy. The second-leading scorer (26g, 16a), Tracy scored a lot of big goals for the Polar Bears, including five against eventual national champ Tufts in an overtime loss.
Key Returner: Ben Chadwick. The unselfish middie led the team in assists (18) while two of his nine goals were game-winners. He’s just one of those players who seem to play his best in the biggest situations. He had three assists against Tufts.
The Polar Bears will be better if: the hockey team doesn’t make the NCAAs, like it did in ‘10. That way Owen Smith and others will be ready from the get-go. If Smith had been in lacrosse shape early this past season, it might have been the difference between a 12-4 record and 9-7 mark. I’m sure Polar Bear hockey skipper Terry Meagher would not want that to happen, but it's critical that Smith is in lacrosse shape from the start.
The Polar Bears will be worse if: they don’t get stronger on face-offs. While they had good showings in different games, the season numbers were sub-.500 – a pretty high hurdle if you have postseason aspirations. If the Polar Bears can square that away, as well as insert a couple of capable poles, they’ll be as tough as usual.

18. Stevens (9-6)
Starters returning: 9
Points returning: 214 of 243 (88.1%)
Key Loss: Alex Couture. He gave the Ducks a strong option on EMO and depth in the midfield.
Key Returner: Jake Messimer. You can never over-value a consistent LSM and Messimer provides that for Gene Peluso. A strong defender with a knack for the take-away check, he’ll play a huge role on a defense that returns intact.
The Ducks will be better if: they can improve at the face-off X. The Ducks were bad – really bad – on the draw last year, winning just 41.2 of the face-offs as a team. In the three Empire 8 losses to St. John Fisher, RIT and Ithaca, Stevens posted a 22-for-60 mark on FOs. They win one of those games and they probably make the league tournament and give themselves a chance. Just a half-n-half face-off guy could be the difference.
The Ducks will be worse if: they get hung up too much on last year. Stevens was a frustrating team to follow because it was a lot better than the record showed. They need to chalk it up to fate and approach this season with an ‘over-dog’ mentality because there is easily enough talent to win the Empire 8. The Ducks can’t be timid.

17. Endicott (14-8) – NCAA Second Round
Starters returning: 9
Points returning: 275 of 367 (74.9%)
Key Loss: Eric Hagarty. He’s the only loss on the starting unit, but it’s a big one. Hagarty started every game and posted a 7.75 GAA and 57.1 save percentage. The Gulls have four goalies returning in ’11 who saw some time this past spring, but none anywhere near what Hagarty was able to provide.
Key Returner: Jack Curtis. He was only third on the team in scoring, but his 33 assists made up 28 percent of the team’s total. Having an unselfish playmaker is always a key for a team looking to break into a new level of the NCAAs. As Curtis goes, so go the Gulls.
The Gulls will be better if: they improve their extra-man percentage. The Gulls were a pedestrian 28.1 percent (27-for-96) and need to be better if they want to be an elite team. With the type of scorers and feeders on Sean Quirk’s squad, Endicott really should have had a better percentage last year, and will need to get its EMO in order in ‘11.
The Gulls will be worse if: if they don’t stick to the script. Last year should have been a rebuilding year for Endicott with just three seniors on a roster dominated by youngsters – 34 players on the 53-man roster (64.2%) were freshman or sophomores – but the Gulls still won the CCC title and made the tournament. Even with the presence of WNEC, Endicott will be huge favorites to repeat the feat, but they can’t start believing they can do it on reputation alone.

16. Dickinson (15-3) – NCAA Second Round
Starters returning: 4
Points returning: 134 of 275 (48.7%)
Key Loss: Chris Dodson. He accounted for over a third of the team’s assists out of the midfield and that will be sorely missed. Dodson had 32 and there was only one other player on the roster in double-digits. Those helpers will be very difficult to replace.
Key Returner: John Haire. The Red Devils have lost a ton of offense and defense, so if they are going to come close to matching their record of 2010, Haire will have to be able to lock down everyone who he matches up with. Playing in front of a new goalie will make his performance even more imperative.
The Red Devils will be better if: Dave Webster was sitting on a whole bunch of offensive talent we didn’t see last year. While other programs that have had consistency might get the benefit of the doubt after putting together the kind of season Dickinson did, the Devils are somewhat new to the scene, so they take a tumble considering the amount of points they’ll have to make up.
The Red Devils will be worse if: there aren’t a couple of good poles and a goalie ready to fill some big shoes. A program like Dickinson certainly has someone either ready to go or coming in this fall, but will they be at the same level of Al Golod, Chris Breslin, Tyler Magann? If not, the Devils will have some work to do.

15. Denison (10-4) – NCAA First Round
Starters returning: 6
Points returning: 256 of 327 (78.3%)
Key Loss: Connor Detjen. Brady Burton was the face of the Big Red, but it was Detjen’s grunt work that has allowed the Big Red to be so successful the last two seasons. The face-off numbers aren’t mind-blowing – he ran at a 56.1 percent clip this past spring – but there’s no one left on the roster with a winning percentage.
Key Returner: Emmett Jones. He should be the big goal-scorer for Denison in 2011, and as such, he’ll be getting plenty of attention from the opposition. Jones will need to be ready for the spotlight.
The Big Red will be better if: they can find some more scoring out of the midfield. Tanner Smith and Alex Hardt provided a little bit of a pop, but Denison is at its most dangerous when they have a Dan Maude-type threat working out of the midfield. They need to find one next spring.
The Big Red will be worse if: they can’t figure out how to win on the road. Denison played five true road games and lost four of them, including surprising setbacks to Wooster and Wittenberg. The odd thing is they knocked off Haverford on the road – probably the most impressive win on the Big Red’s schedule. This is a mental obstacle Michael Caravana will have to help his squad overcome.

14. Cabrini (15-4) – NCAA Second Round
Starters returning: 8
Points returning: 280 of 440 (63.6%)
Key Loss: Casey Grugan. When you account for nearly a quarter of your team’s points (Grugan went 65g & 32a for 97 points), you’ll be missed. Can you chalk a lot of those points up to the weakness of the CSAC? Sure, but the Cavs played a relatively decent non-con schedule and Grugan always showed up. Do they have a replacement?
Key Returner: Mike Gurenlian. He was a monster in dominating Denison in the first round, winning 12-of-14 face-offs against the Big Red, but couldn’t keep it going against Stevenson. If Gurenlian is able to up his game and get into the upper echelon of face-off men, he could radically change the Cavaliers postseason chances.
The Cavaliers will be better if: the CSAC can improve as a group. This is long-running meme, but the fact is the Cavs will never be able to fully reach their potential without some challenges within the conference. There is just too long a gap between the non-conference schedule and the NCAAs to stay as sharp as you need to be in order to go deep in the tourney.
The Cavaliers will be worse if: they buy into the temptation of looking for “The Next Casey Grugan.” No one person is going to be able to replicate both the numbers and poise that Grugan brought to the Cavs, so they can’t try to hammer a square peg in a round hole. There are plenty of starters and points returning for Cabrini to coast to another NCAA bid and be well-balanced for the tourney.

13. Geneseo (10-4)
Starters returning: 8
Points returning: 242 of 261 (92.7%)
Key Loss: Dennis Costanza. The Blue Knights may return eight starters and almost all the scoring, but it will be difficult to mitigate the loss of Costanza. An 8.03 GAA and a 60.1 save percentage is strong work in any league, so this will be the position to watch as Genny starts the season.
Key Returner: Joe May. When you lose a goalie and a pole, you better have someone ready to fill a leadership role. Jim Lyons is hoping that will be May. At 6-foot-3, 200lbs, May has the size to be a physical presence on the backline and, heading into his senior year, he should have the confidence.
The Blue Knights will be better if: they can catch a break on the schedule. It all comes down to a numbers game and before the ’10 season started Geneseo looked like it had the strength of schedule to be a contender even if they didn’t win the SUNYAC. But poor years by both Ithaca (8-10) and Clarkson (3-12) – a pair of teams that finished a combined 24-7 in ’09 – eliminated the Knights’ safety net. Hopefully the pendulum swings towards the Knights this spring.
The Blue Knights will be worse if: the defense isn’t ready from Day One. Because of the relatively weak conference schedule, Geneseo has to roll the dice in the non-con slate, which starts immediately. Any early season stumbles could be the difference in May. Geneseo has an offense that should be able to cover some holes early, but the defense will need to be ready against the high-end teams.

12. Lynchburg (13-5)
Starters returning: 5
Points returning: 270 of 366 (73.4%)
Key Loss: Brennen Green. Against a strong schedule Green still managed to win 57.4 percent (143-of-249) of his face-offs, giving the Hornets a key advantage. We’ll see if junior Matt Jernack (53.5%, 68-for-127) can continue the trend.
Key Returner: Franc Cook. Considering the opposition, Cook’s 8.20 GAA and 56.1 save percentage as a sophomore was pretty impressive. If he can continue his maturation, and maybe shave a goal off the GAA, he’ll likely have the Hornets back in the tourney.
The Hornets will be better if: they can post a signature win. It won’t necessarily assure them of anything, but it will go a long way in avoiding their fate from the last couple of years – just outside the dance. Last year, Lynchburg played five ranked teams and lost to them all. If the Hornets can just grab one big victory they’ll improve their chances on Selection Sunday exponentially.
The Hornets will be worse if: they can get more points production out of its attack unit. Five of the top seven goal-scorers came out of the midfield last year. There’s nothing wrong with a strong midfield, but it can’t be at the expense of balance. If a team becomes imbalanced, it spawns predictability. Predictability means an early summer vacation.

11. RPI (14-3) – NCAA Second Round
Starters returning: 7
Points returning: 165 of 272 (60.7%)
Key Loss: Paul Cerone. The graduation of the midfielder robs the Engineers of their one true assist-first guy. Nick Billy has the potential, but he’ll be needed to score the goals in 2011. Finding someone willing to set up his teammates will be critical.
Key Returner: James Manchester. Is it fair to ask more of Manchester, who posted a 6.09 GAA and 62.9 save percentage in his rookie campaign? Probably not, but RPI will need him to at least match that effort if they want to reprise the success of 2010.
The Engineers will be better if: they ratchet up the attack. The defense should be really good again – good enough to win the Liberty anyway. If they can get better efficiency in their offense – RPI had a horrible shooting percentage (28.8) and a substandard EMO mark (27.8%) – they should be able to get another crack at the NCAAs.
The Engineers will be worse if: they don’t beef up the non-conference schedule. RPI took care of business and made it a moot point, but had the Engineers lost in the Liberty finals they would not have received an invite. The league just isn’t strong enough for two bids. Throw in games against Adrian, Mnt. St. Mary (N.Y.), Potsdam, Oneonta, Elmira and Muhlenberg, and the Engineers had no chance. This needs to be rectified if RPI is going to take the next step.

10. Roanoke (18-3) – NCAA Quarterfinalist
Starters returning: 4
Points returning: 330 of 573 (57.6%)
Key Loss: Stephen Simmons. You could put any number of players in this spot because the Maroons lost a bunch. Simmons, however, was the premier LSM in the country the last couple of years and his presence will be very difficult to replicate.
Key Returner: Justin Tuma. He scored eight goals and dished out 23 assist primarily as a shorty during his sophomore year before exploding for 30 goals and 19 assists and winning 64.2 percent (156-for-243) of his face-offs in 2010. Tuma is a multi-faceted player in the same mold as Cortland’s Chris DeLuca.
The Maroons will be better if: they prove they are a reload program and not of the rebuilding version. The Maroons were coming off a solid 2007 campaign, but then stumbled to an 8-6 mark in 2008 after graduating some key cogs. ‘Noke will face the same challenge coming into 2011. Can it have a better showing?
The Maroons will be worse if: they can’t find an adequate replacement for Jake Dorsey. They have a pair of rising sophomores in Kyle Hagens and Mike Hardon on the roster, but they combined for a grand total of 145 minutes in the cage (out of 1262). Bill Pilat will need one of those two, or perhaps an incoming frosh, to grow up in a hurry or there could be serious growing pains.

9. RIT (14-6) – NCAA Quarterfinalist
Starters returning: 5
Points returning: 290 of 419 (69.2%)
Key Loss: Jerry Ragonese. After his junior season was truncated by an injury, Ragonese returned for his final year ready to roll. And he delivered, winning 60.6 (266-for-439) of his face-offs as well as hoovering 152 ground balls. There are a couple of returners who have shown a knack for face-offs, but no one with Ragonese’s credentials as of yet.
Key Returner: Iric Bressler. His first name may look like a typo – as if I should talk – but his game often looks flawless. A feeder from his attack position, Bressler dished out 32 helpers and amassed 50 points. With seniors Kelso Davis (37g, 20a) and Jordan MacIntosh (36g, 17a) ready to convert his passes, Bressler will be the straw that stirs the RIT drink.
The Tigers will be better if: the injuries don’t come in bunches. During the heart of the E8 season RIT was without the services of both Bressler and MacIntosh, leading to narrow losses on the road at the hands of Ithaca and St. John Fisher. When they got back, the Tigers were tough, twice routing Naz, beating Ithaca, and stunning Conn. College in the tourney.
The Tigers will be worse if: they can’t tighten up their man-down defense. It’s a two-pronged issue. First, RIT needs to cut down on the number of penalties it takes – the Tigers gave 92 EMO chances to their opponents. For reference, Naz gave only 60 (in three less games). Second, the Tigers were allowing extra-man goals at a rate of 36 percent. Those are numbers that need to change if RIT has visions of advancing further.

8. Gettysburg (15-3) – NCAA Second Round
Starters returning: 6
Points returning: 180 of 334 (53.9%)
Key Loss: Kyle McGrath. Coming off the Bullets’ title run in ’09, McGrath needed to put Gettysburg on his shoulders and the midfielder didn’t disappoint. He led the team in goals (38) and was second in assists (19). McGrath also took a team-high 123 shots, leaving a lot of offense open next year.
Key Returner: Chris Cahill. One might assume Danno Lynch is the heir apparent to McGrath’s role, but Lynch is a finisher. Cahill has the ability to score (18g) as well as dish – he had a team-high 25 helpers – much like McGrath. Cahill will be the key to the Bullets’ offense next spring.
The Bullets will be better if: they can clean up the face-off unit. It’s a malady affecting a lot of teams, but it’s an imperative position. Gettysburg, which finished 47.2 percent as a team on draws last year, managed to temper the problem for much of the year, but the Bullets got rocked by Roanoke at the X in the NCAA quarters to the tune of 18-for-23 in what ended up being an overtime loss. The deficiency jumped up and bit them at the worst time.
The Bullets will be worse if: they can’t find a couple of talented scorers at attack. Gettysburg returns junior Pat Sartory (29g, 9a), but Joe Brody and Josh Reichart graduate a combined 61 goals – over a third of the teams markers – and 17 assists. There are a couple of candidates already on the roster, but the Bullets will need impact guys from the start to compliment their solid defense and midfield.

7. Haverford (12-6) – NCAA Quarterfinalist
Starters returning: 6
Points returning: 234 of 281 (83.3%)
Key Loss: Grant Firestone. Steady defensemen who vacuum up ground balls and act as a take-away guys, when necessary, are not easily replaced. Throw in the leadership ability and Firestone leaves the largest vacancy from 2010.
Key Returner: Joe Banno. He’s been strong since he arrived in Philly, but 2011 is when we’d expect Banno to make “the leap” to that of an elite netminder. With some of the defensive question marks facing Haverford, it may be more of a necessity than a bonus.
The Black Squirrels will be better if: they play like they did in the second half of the season. With the transition to a new head coach, there was going to be some growing pains and the Squirrels definitely suffered them. When everybody found the same page, however, the ‘Fords transformed into one of the three hottest teams in the country by the end of the year. They have plenty of talent returning to replicate that run.
The Black Squirrels will be worse if: they can’t fill the holes on defense. While Banno is back, the graduation of Firestone and Matt Dooley means there will be some relatively inexperienced poles to be broken in. Assuming Haverford can figure out its face-off issues, the offense should be able to cover some backline blemishes early on, but in the Centennial you’re going to need studs at the back by the time the conference season begins.

6. Middlebury (13-6) – NCAA Quarterfinalist
Starters returning: 5
Points returning: 179 of 285 (62.8%)
Key Loss: Pete Smith. Second on the school’s all-time assist list (117), Smith has been the engine of the Midd offense for the past two years. Players with his deft passing touch are rare, so it’s likely the Panther finishers will be missing him early in the season until someone evolves.
Key Returner: Matt Rayner. A tenacious player in the mold of many of Middlebury’s long pole greats, Rayner will be the lynchpin of a defense that has the potential to bring back memories of the Panther backline from the dynasty days.
The Panthers will be better if: they can improve their face-off percentage. One of the signature traits of Middlebury during its halcyon days early in the last decade was dominant draw-men, but last year the Panthers finished even (200-for-400). Every percentage point Midd finishes over .500 this year makes the defense that much stronger.
The Panthers will be worse if: they can’t find the mental fortitude to be a better road team. Middlebury was 9-1 at home or on neutral fields and 4-5 on the road. In some of the road wins – like the 4-3 triumph over Williams – the Panthers played with a lack of confidence that kept the result closer than it probably should have been. Not sure exactly what the remedy is, but it starts between the ears.

5. Connecticut College (14-3) – NCAA Second Round
Starters returning: 7
Points returning: 185 of 246 (75.2%)
Key Loss: Steve Dachille. Premium finishers are worth their weight in wins in the NESCAC. There are a couple of candidates to partially fill Dachille’s numbers (44g, 4a), but likely not the whole line.
Key Returner: Rob Moccia. This might be the ‘Year of the Goalie’ in the NESCAC, and Moccia is definitely in on that label. While at 5-foot-7, 160-pounds, Moccia probably wouldn’t be called ‘protypical,’ but the proof is in the numbers (7.26 GAA, 61.7 sv%). If he continues to get better, he could be the key to the Camels staying near the top of the conference.
The Camels will be better if: the out-of-conference schedule gets a little stiffer. The chances that the Camels go 8-1 in the conference again next year are hovering slightly above zero. As such, Conn. College would do itself a favor by looking for tough non-con competition (which finished a combined one game above .500 in 2010 for the Camels).
The Camels will be worse if: they can’t ride the razor’s edge again. Nine of the Camels’ 17 games were decided by two goals or less, and they managed to win seven of them. Does CC have the talent and the mental fortitude to stay at the highest level or will it wilt under the pressure? It’ll be one of the important storylines of the early part of 2011.

4. Salisbury (21-2) – NCAA Finalist
Starters returning: 5
Points returning: 317 of 555 (57.1%)
Key Loss: Connor Burgasser. Steady, reliable, and was seemingly always up for whatever challenge was laid in front of him. They’ll find somebody to replace him physically, but the intangibles will be missed.
Key Returner: Kyle Gallagher. He earned plenty of run as Ryan Finch’s face-off back-up, but the numbers (78-for-154; 50.6%) won’t get it done. It’s very difficult for a rookie to make the jump to the college game, so Gallagher must get better in the off-season.
The Sea Gulls will be better if: they can find a couple of polished finishers on attack to not only replace Mike Winter and Jake DeLillo, but also alleviate some of the scoring burden from the midfield. It’s great to be dangerous in the midfield, but the Gulls could use some more creativity on attack.
The Sea Gulls will be worse if: they don’t get more physical. Salisbury has as much talent as any team in the country and that’s usually enough to get the win. But the Gulls were manhandled by Tufts in the championship game and were completely taken out of their game. Sam Bradman was stifled and many of the other key playmakers wilted in the face of the bigger, stronger Jumbos. It isn’t simply a weight room issue; it has to be mindset.

3. Cortland (17-3) – NCAA Semifinalist
Starters returning: 8
Points returning: 310 of 471 (65.8%)
Key Loss: Brian Krol. The Dragons’ leading scorer and a terror on EMO (11 goals), Krol had a fearlessness you need when things get tight. Cortland needs to find someone to replicate that.
Key Returner: Chris DeLuca. His numbers speak for themselves – 37g, 15a, 67.5 face-off percentage – and it’s tough to believe he won’t at least match those numbers again. Staying healthy will be a priority.
The Red Dragons will be better if: they’re able to use the loss against Tufts in the tourney semifinals as an important lesson learned. Steve Beville is clear that he doesn’t let one season bleed over into another, but even if it’s not something they talk about openly, the players need to realize they can’t step off the gas at any point against any opponent or they might get burned again.
The Red Dragons will be worse if: they can’t stay healthy. That’s a tall order with the level of competition that Cortland plays, but it will be an x-factor this season. The Dragons have the experience returning at all of the right positions, but if players start falling the margin for error does the same.

2. Stevenson (19-2) – NCAA Semifinalist
Starters returning: 7
Points returning: 404 of 529 (76.4%)
Key Loss: Steve Kazimer. When you lose the two-time Attackman of the Year, there is going to be a void. Stevenson has the luxury of having Richie Ford and Jimmy Dailey – a pair of attackmen who also have a keen passing touch – returning and a host of players ready to fill the position, but Kazimer was special.
Key Returner: Ray Witte. There are a lot of premium face-off guys out there – Cortland’s DeLuca, Tuft’s Rhoads, Colby’s Bunker, etc. – but Witte has the potential to be the best of the bunch. He was excellent last year, but if he evolves to the level Paul Cantabene envisions he could be the difference for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs will be better if: there are a couple of gems on the 61-man roster waiting for the chance to break out. There are enough high-end players to bring the Mustangs back to semifinals again, but will they develop a couple more that will make the difference in late May?
The Mustangs will be worse if: a confident goalie doesn’t emerge or is on this year’s recruiting list. With Geoff Hebert and his part-time replacement, Andrew Harrington, gone, the next keeper will likely have very little collegiate experience. Finding a competent netminder will be critical during fall ball.

1. Tufts (20-1) – NCAA National Champion
Starters returning: 6
Points returning: 362 of 427 (84.8%)
Key Loss: Evan Crosby. If you want to say middie Jamie Atkins or pole Eytan Saperstein, I won’t argue too much, but Crosby, a close defender, closed his career with a flourish. He excelled in all facets of the defensive game and was magnificent in the championship contest. His athletic ability and fearlessness will be missed.
Key Returner: Nick Rhoads. Tufts has a bunch of them, but Rhoads will be critical during the early season games when the defense is still trying to coordinate its new starters. When you look at his numbers, you don’t automatically think “dominance,” but it always seems like Rhoads wins the important draws.
The Jumbos will be better if: they have a funeral service for the 2010 season and approach ’11 with the chipped shoulder that was the catalyst for the title run. There’s not a whole lot of room for improvement (one loss?), so this will likely be an impossible task, but I’m sure Mike Daly will manufacture some slight along the way (NOTE: It won’t be from me).
The Jumbos will be worse if: they can’t find a couple of close defenders to fill the void of Saperstein and Crosby. They have a bunch of youngsters who will get a shot, and, if things get desperate, sophomore LSM Sam Gardner could get bounced back to close defense. Fortunately, Tufts has enough firepower in the midfield and attack to cover a lot of warts.