Syracuse Lacrosse: Rankings, Schedule, Players & Whatnot

Syracuse Lacrosse, I have forsaken you. It's been a busy week, I'm sorry. But let's try to wrap get up to speed all neat and tidy-like, shall we?

Inside Lacrosse released it's preseason coaches’ and media polls at the beginning of the week and the Orange continue to find their starting point about as low as anyone can remember. They're eighth in the coaches poll and seventh in the media poll.

Virginia is your No. 1 in both, followed by Hopkins, Duke and Cornell in different orders. The points is, these are your preseason top four teams in the nation...and Syracuse will play all of them...away from the Carrier Dome.

The fearsome foursome Syracuse will face are Virginia in Charlottesville, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Cornell in Ithaca and Duke in the Meadowlands.

Overall, Syracuse will face six of the nine other teams in the top ten.

One team they'll play that isn't in the rankings is Rutgers. Usually, that game is played in New York or New Jersey for obvious reasons. This year? It's being played in...North Carolina?

The ESPNU Warrior Classic, a men’s college lacrosse doubleheader, has a new home at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., home of Major League Lacrosse’s Charlotte Hounds. The third annual event will be played April 14, and will feature Rutgers vs. No. 7 Syracuse in the first game at 11 a.m. followed by No. 11 Hofstra vs. No. 6 North Carolina at 1:30 p.m. Both games will be televised on ESPNU.

What of Kevin Drew, who seemingly lost his golden ticket to SU when he was arrested for multiple charges, including DWI, during the off-season? He's back with the team, though his troubles aren't over yet. Drew appeared in court this week and told he judge that he completed a 28-day treatment program for alcohol abuse, he now awaits a final decision.

Desko says that while Drew is back with the team, he's still got a lot of work to do.

“Kevin’s done quite a bit,” Desko said. “He wasn’t in school last semester, lost everything academically and financially. He’s not a full scholarship guy. So he’s done quite a bit and he’s going to continue to deal with the consequences. He has things he has to do here for the team and for the university.”

Finally, go check out some profile pieces on he-who-would-replace-John-Galloway, goalie Matt Lerman, Jamaican-born freshman Hakeem Lecky and former football star Brandon Mullins.

The season begins February 19th against Albany. Head over to College Crosse for more lax coverage.