NEWTOWN Pa.— The Middle Atlantic Conference Office today released preseason coaches polls for the upcoming Men's Lacrosse season. MAC Commonwealth Coaches picked Eastern University Men's Lacrosse to finish third behind York and Stevenson.

York topped the table by securing all seven first place votes from opposing teams. The Spartans have won four-of-five titles since joining the MAC in 2021. The only blemish on the record came in 2024 when the Eagles got a goal in the final minute from Nick Litzenberger and held on for an 11-10 win in the MAC Comonwealth Semifinals. The Eagles, were not able to carry that momentum through to a title as Stevenson won the league for an eighth time since joining the league in 2013. 

The Mustangs, who have reached every MAC Commonwealth Championship game since joining the league in 2103, were picked second in the poll.

The Eagles finished third in the regular season last spring  and bring back a strong nucleus of players on offense, defense, and in the midfield. Head Coach Colin Piper's squad will start the year with a Jan. 31st home test against perennial power Salisbury. In 2025, the Sea Gulls rolled through the year at the top of the USILA Polls before falling 11-10 to Dickinson in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Eastern has never played a lacrosse game in January. 

After a challenging non-league slate that includes games against Swarthmore, Muhlenberg, Mary Washington, Catholic, St. Mary's of Maryland, and Stevens Institute of Technoloy, the Eagles will open their league season at Widener on April 1. The Pride were picked fifth in this year's poll.

The following week the Eagles will travel to York on Wednesday and host Stevenson on Saturday. The eagles will finish their league slate with away games and Alvernia and Hood on either side of home games against Messiah and Albright. Messiah was picked fourth, and league coaches picked Widener fifth. 

The top four teams in the standings will qualify for the MAC Commonwealth Tournament. When the league expands to nine teams in 2027, the tournament is slated to expand to the top five teams.