Feb. 1, 2008

Official CAA Release

RICHMOND, Va.-- The results of the preseason coaches' poll in the power-laden Colonial Athletic Association were released yesterday and Villanova was chosen to finish fifth in the league this season by the league head coaches. The Wildcats received a total of 16 points in the poll, in which coaches could not vote for their own team.

The four teams ahead of Villanova in the preseason poll are all nationally-ranked squads. Drexel received three first-place votes and 33 points to narrowly edge out Towson, which also received three first-place votes and had 32 total points. Delaware was third with one first-place vote and 27 points and Hofstra was fourth with 22 points ahead of the Wildcats. Rounding out the poll were Sacred Heart (11 points) and Robert Morris (6).

It won't be surprising if opponents consider Villanova to be a team in transition as the 2008 season begins. Despite graduating six starters and 12 seniors overall from last season, the Wildcats do return a significant portion of their scoring and add 10 talented freshmen to the fold as well.

Senior attack Chris MacDonald (Westfield, N.J.) was named a Preseason All-American by Inside Lacrosse Magazine after leading the team in assists and points last season while rating second in goals scored. In all, Villanova returns four starters and more than 46 percent of its total point production from last season.

The Wildcat defense should again be a strongpoint for a team that returns junior captain Eddie DiDonato (Blue Bell, Pa.) to the back line. He will be joined by sophomore Bryan McCartney (Doylestown, Pa.) and freshman John Lade (Randolph, N.J.) to lead the Villanova defense this season. Lade was named to the U.S. Men's U-19 National Team and was rated as one of the top 100 incoming freshmen in the nation by Inside Lacrosse.

In its preseason national poll, Inside Lacrosse had all four of the teams picked ahead of the Wildcats in the CAA coaches' poll ranked in the top 20. Towson came in at No. 13, while Delaware was No. 14, Drexel No. 18 and Hofstra No. 19.

Villanova has one preseason scrimmage before opening the regular season. The scrimmage is at UMBC on February 9 while the season opener will be at Syracuse on February 17. The Wildcats first home game of the season will be a February 22 date against Lafayette.