LOUDONVILLE, NY – For the first time in more than a decade, Siena Lacrosse is receiving votes in a major national poll. The Saints are amongst teams also receiving votes in the latest Inside Lacrosse KANE Men's Division I Media Poll.
Siena checks in ninth amongst the 11 teams also receiving votes in the Apr. 14 KANE Men's Division I Media Poll. Cornell sits atop the polling for the fourth week in a row, while MAAC rival Sacred Heart checks in at No. 20 this week.
This marks the first time that Siena Lacrosse is receiving votes in the national media poll since the final poll of the 2014 season released on May 26, 2014, coming on the heels of the Saints latest MAAC Championship. Siena has only once previously been ranked in the media poll top-20, when the Saints received a national ranking of 20
th on June 1, 2011.
Siena was also ranked 20
th nationally in both the May 9 and June 11, 2011 USILA Coaches' Polls, matching the program's highest-ever national ranking in any major weekly poll. The Saints previously received votes and/or were ranked in a given week in the USILA Coaches' Poll and/or Media Poll a total of 25 times between 2008-14. Siena won 87 games from 2007-14, matching the eighth highest win total nationally over that span.
The Saints stand 7-4 overall entering the stretch run, including 5-1 in MAAC action. Siena has won five straight – matching the program's longest winning streak since winning eight in a row from Mar. 14 – April 21, 2012 – and clinched a MAAC Tournament berth with a commanding 17-7 victory over Quinnipiac Saturday on Hickey Field.
The Saints currently rank second nationally in face-off win percentage (.669) and sixth in assists per game (8.73), while also leading the MAAC in scoring (13.1), points per game (21.8), groundballs (34.5) and man-down defense (.735). Individually,
Logan Banek, who to date has earned five MAAC Rookie and Faceoff Specialist of the Week awards apiece, currently leads the nation in groundballs per game (9.73) and ranks third in face-off win percentage (.681).
Ryan McCarthy is second nationally in assists per game (3.18), and
Pratt Reynolds stands third in the country in goals per game (3.36).
Siena travels to current MAAC frontrunner Canisius for its penultimate regular season game Saturday at 1 p.m. The Golden Griffins are 6-1 in the MAAC Standings, with the Saints and Sacred Heart currently tied for second just a half-game behind.
