Post by Commissioner on Jan 28, 2023 23:58:26 GMT -5
The Titans have come tantalizingly close to major lacrosse success over the last decade, but we've repeatedly come up just short of conference tournament and regular season titles needed to boost the program into a player on the national stage. Between 2011 and 2018, the Titans finished second 5 times in the MAAC regular season, and in a 6th season won the conference tournament after a 4th place league finish.
In 2011, just the third season of the program, the Titans finished 2nd in the MAAC and lost in the Conference Tournament final. In 2012 the Titans again finished second in the regular season. In 2013, the Titans slipped to 4th in the regular MAAC season, but surprised top-seeded Siena to win the conference tournament and an NCAA berth. Once there, the Titans led much of the way against 6th-ranked Notre Dame, before falling late by a 9-7 score in the first round.
In 2014 and 2015, the Titans recorded two more second-place finishes in the MAAC. After a down year in 2016 and a 4th place finish in 2017, in 2018 the Titans again finished 2nd in the MAAC regular season, and appeared headed to the NCAA as they led Canisius late in the MAAC tournament final. But the Titans gave up a couple of late goals, allowing Canisius to force an overtime. In OT, the Golden Griffins scored almost immediately to end the Titan hopes. In 2019 the Titans finished 3rd in the MAAC with a 5-2 conference record. The 2020 conference season, for which the Titans had high hopes, was cancelled due to Covid, and the Titans finished 4th during a Covid-shortened 2021 season, losing in the 1st round of the Conference tournament to St. Bonaventure. Last year the Titans moved to the Atlantic Sun Conference, but slumped to 2-9, and suffered serious graduation losses.
Given last year's record and losses to graduation, it's not surprising that the Titans were picked for 8th in the 10-team ASun conference this year. This year's team features 15 freshmen and 17 sophomores, versus just 4 juniors and 10 seniors or grad students. The Titans do return 3 of their top 5 scorers in seniors Luke Majick and Ryan Birney, and soph Aidan Bishop.
Utah was the conference coaches' preseason pick to win the league, followed by Jacksonville, which is ranked 18th in the preseason poll by USA Lacrosse, Robert Morris, and Air Force. Utah was in the "others receiving votes" category in the USA Lacrosse poll. No Titan received individual honors in the ASun preseason voting.
The Titan season opens next Saturday at VMI in Lexington, VA. A game at High Point University follows on February 11, and then the Titans have 3 weeks to prepare for the home opener against Marquette on Saturday, March 4. The pre-season closes out with a game at #11 Ohio State, and the conference season begins on March 18 at Mercer, with the conference home opener against Utah on March 25.
In 2011, just the third season of the program, the Titans finished 2nd in the MAAC and lost in the Conference Tournament final. In 2012 the Titans again finished second in the regular season. In 2013, the Titans slipped to 4th in the regular MAAC season, but surprised top-seeded Siena to win the conference tournament and an NCAA berth. Once there, the Titans led much of the way against 6th-ranked Notre Dame, before falling late by a 9-7 score in the first round.
In 2014 and 2015, the Titans recorded two more second-place finishes in the MAAC. After a down year in 2016 and a 4th place finish in 2017, in 2018 the Titans again finished 2nd in the MAAC regular season, and appeared headed to the NCAA as they led Canisius late in the MAAC tournament final. But the Titans gave up a couple of late goals, allowing Canisius to force an overtime. In OT, the Golden Griffins scored almost immediately to end the Titan hopes. In 2019 the Titans finished 3rd in the MAAC with a 5-2 conference record. The 2020 conference season, for which the Titans had high hopes, was cancelled due to Covid, and the Titans finished 4th during a Covid-shortened 2021 season, losing in the 1st round of the Conference tournament to St. Bonaventure. Last year the Titans moved to the Atlantic Sun Conference, but slumped to 2-9, and suffered serious graduation losses.
Given last year's record and losses to graduation, it's not surprising that the Titans were picked for 8th in the 10-team ASun conference this year. This year's team features 15 freshmen and 17 sophomores, versus just 4 juniors and 10 seniors or grad students. The Titans do return 3 of their top 5 scorers in seniors Luke Majick and Ryan Birney, and soph Aidan Bishop.
Utah was the conference coaches' preseason pick to win the league, followed by Jacksonville, which is ranked 18th in the preseason poll by USA Lacrosse, Robert Morris, and Air Force. Utah was in the "others receiving votes" category in the USA Lacrosse poll. No Titan received individual honors in the ASun preseason voting.
The Titan season opens next Saturday at VMI in Lexington, VA. A game at High Point University follows on February 11, and then the Titans have 3 weeks to prepare for the home opener against Marquette on Saturday, March 4. The pre-season closes out with a game at #11 Ohio State, and the conference season begins on March 18 at Mercer, with the conference home opener against Utah on March 25.