Press Releases

January 10, 2002
Southampton College Lacrosse Ranked in Top Ten in Preseason Poll

Carlson, Harder and Ortiz Return with Preseason Honors

Contact:
Darren Johnson (PR@southampton.liu.edu)
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

In a preseason poll just released by Inside Lacrosse magazine, the Southampton College men's lacrosse team was ranked No. 8 in the country among the NCAA's Division II teams for the 2002 season.

Southampton, who received 62 votes from coaches to earn this spot, also had three players named as Preseason All-Americans. Senior defenders Mark Carlson and Tim Harder were named to Second Team and sophomore attacker D.J. Ortiz earned Honorable Mention. Carlson is from Farmingville, N.Y., and Harder is from Saco, Maine. Ortiz, who amassed 44 points in 2001, is a native of Coram, N.Y.

In the 2001 season, the Colonials scored 161 goals and only allowed 114 from their opponents. Much of this was due to Harder and Carlson's tenacious defending.

The Colonials ended last season with an overall record of 8-4, despite playing in the country's premier Division II lacrosse league, the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference. NYCAC rival Adelphi was ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll with 259 votes.

Among Southampton College's victories in 2001 was a game versus New York Institute of Technology, who was ranked No. 3 in the nation at the time. Southampton won 14-11, making it the first Southampton triumph over NYIT since 1993 when the Colonials entered Division II.

Head coach Ralph Pepe returns for his 10th year with the team he has led to six winning seasons, three playoff births and two ECAC titles.