Men's Lacrosse | 2/3/2015 3:47:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY -- The RIT men's lacrosse team is ranked second in both the 2015 Lacrosse Magazine and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III polls.

The Tigers, who are 88-14 over the last five seasons, finished last season with a 20-1 record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season. RIT won its third straight Liberty League Tournament title, fifth straight conference title, and made its 16th appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Sixth year head coach Jake Coon, the 2013 Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association Coach of the Year, returns the four of the six top scorers from a year ago led by 2014 first team All-American, Liberty League Player of the Year and NCAA Midfielder of the Year, Kyle Aquin (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean De Brebeuf) who posted 63 points on 44 goals and 19 assists. 2014 Liberty League Rookie of the Year, Ryan Lee (Sharon, Ontario/The Hill Academy) returns after an outstanding freshman campaign where finished second on the team in scoring with 74 points on 47 goals and 27 assists. Senior Allister Warren (Toronto, Ontario/Malvern Collegiate Institute) returns for his final season after finishing third on the team in scoring on 64 points on 29 goals and 35 assists. Eddie Kiesa (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt), a 2014 honorable mention All-American, was sixth in scoring with 38 points.

Defensively, RIT returns honorable mention All-American goalie Pat Johnston (Norwell, MA/Norwell) between the pipes. He finished 2014 with a 15-1 record, a 9.93 goals against average and a .606 save percentage. Senior Baird Wilber (Guyanoga Valley, NY/Penn Yan Academy) and juniors Matt Hossack (Port Perry, Ontario/Port Perry) and Jay Krzyston (Bedford, NH/Bishop Guertin) will lead a young and talented defense.

RIT kicks off the season on Feb. 21 with a re-match of the 2013 Division III Championship game with preseason No. 3 Stevenson at the Turf Field on the campus of RIT. The Tigers face No. 14 Ithaca College on Feb. 28, and will face five teams ranked in the preseason top 20, including No. 6 SUNY Cortland (March 11), No. 7 Cabrini (3/14), No. 10 Union (April 15)

2015 USILA Preseason Coaches Top-20 Poll:
1) Tufts - 320 (16 1st Place Votes)
2) RIT - 298
3) Salisbury - 285
4) Stevenson - 273
5) Washington College - 245
6) SUNY Cortland - 240
7) Cabrini - 214
8) Lynchburg - 201
9) Denison - 193
10) Union - 159
11) York (Pa.) - 136
12) Amherst - 135
13) Endicott - 126
14) Ithaca - 106
15) Washington & Lee - 77
16) Montclair State - 72
17) Ohio Wesleyan - 66
18) Roanoke - 63
19) Springfield - 31
20) Franklin & Marshall – 28

2015 Nike/LM Division III Men's Preseason Top-20:
1) Tufts
2) RIT
3) Salisbury
4) Washington College
5) Stevenson
6) SUNY Cortland
7) Lynchburg
8) Union (NY)
9) Denison
10) Cabrini
11) Amherst
12) York (Pa.)
13) Ithaca
14) Endicott
15) Washington & Lee
16) Ohio Wesleyan
17) Roanoke
18) Montclair State
19) Rensselaer
20) Williams