The SUNY Cortland men's lacrosse team is ranked third nationally in the United State Intercollegiate Lacrosse Assocation's (USILA) Div. III preseason poll.

Eighth-year head coach Steve Beville's squad finished 19-1 last season, with its lone loss a 10-9 overtime decision to RIT in the NCAA Div. III semifinals.

Cortland has played in the NCAA tournament each of the last 13 years. The Red Dragons won national titles in 2006 and 2009, finished second in 2007, 2008 and 2012, and lost in the semifinals in 2003, 2010 and 2013. Cortland is a combined 125-18 over Beville's first seven seasons as head coach, including a 40-2 record the past two years.

Cortland opens the season on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Albright College (Pa.). The Red Dragons are scheduled to face six teams in the preseason top 20, including defending national champion Stevenson on March 21 at the Mustangs' tournament and national runner-up RIT at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse March 12. Cortland will also play #10 Nazareth, #11 Lynchburg (Va.), #13 Stevens Institute (N.J.) and #17 Ithaca.


2014 USILA Div. III Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll


1. Stevenson (MD)
2. RIT (NY)
3. CORTLAND
4. Tufts (MA)
5. Salisbury (MD)
6. Cabrini (PA)
7. Dickinson (PA)
8. Roanoke (VA)
9. Washington (MD)
10. Nazareth (NY)

11. Lynchburg (VA)
12. Western New England (MA)
13. Stevens Inst. (NJ)
14. Washington & Lee (VA)
15. Denison (OH)
16. Wesleyan (CT)
17. Ithaca (NY)
18. St. Mary's (MD)
19. Middlebury (VT)
20. Gettysburg (PA)