Jan. 5, 2009

BALTIMORE, MD -- The Johns Hopkins University men's lacrosse team is ranked fifth in the 2008 Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Yearbook Top 25 Preseason Poll, which was released today. Virginia, Syracuse, Maryland and Cornell check in ahead of the Blue Jays, who will play 10 of the top 19 teams in the poll during the 2009 season.

Johns Hopkins, which posted an 11-6 record and advanced to the NCAA Championship game for the fourth time in six years in 2008, will open the 2009 season against Siena on February 20 before playing nine straight games against teams that are ranked in the top 15 in the preseason poll. Hopkins will play the top two teams (Virginia and Syracuse) on consecutive weekends in March and will add a third straight game against a top 10 team on the final Saturday in March when the Blue Jays travel to North Carolina.

2009 Inside Lacrosse/Faceoff Yearbook Preseason Poll

Rk. School • 2008 Record
1. Virginia • 14-4
2. Syracuse • 16-2
3. Maryland • 10-6
4. Cornell •11-4
5. Johns Hopkins • 11-6
6. Georgetown • 9-4
7. Duke • 18-2
8. North Carolina • 8-6
9. Notre Dame • 14-3
10. UMBC • 12-4
11. Navy • 10-6
12. Albany • 8-8
13. Brown • 11-3
14. Princeton • 7-6
15. Hofstra • 10-6
16. Denver • 10-7
17. Colgate • 11-6
18. Bucknell • 10-5
19. Loyola • 7-7
20. Delaware • 9-7

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