Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/30/18
From Press Release
The Lehigh men’s lacrosse team has been picked sixth in the Patriot League preseason poll while juniors Craig Chick and Eddie Bouhall and sophomore Conor Gaffney (Lenape-NJ, Duke’s LC) were named preseason All-League, as announced on Tuesday. The Mountain Hawks are coming off their seventh straight Patriot League Tournament berth last season; Lehigh and Army West Point are the only two teams to advance to each of the last seven league tourneys.
Conor Gaffney (Lenape-NJ)
Loyola was predicted to win the league, garnering 126 points. Following the Greyhounds was Army West Point (115 points), Navy (92), Bucknell (78), Boston University (77) and Lehigh (65). Behind the Mountain Hawks was Colgate (45), Holy Cross (34) and Lafayette (16).
Chick was named defensive specialist on the preseason All-League team after garnering first team All-Patriot League and Inside Lacrosse honorable mention All-America as a sophomore. Chick posted a school-record 40 caused turnovers in 2017, one year after leading the nation with 37. Chick is already second in school history with 77 career caused turnovers, needing just 21 more to break Tripp Telesco’s school record of 97. Chick also owns three goals, nine assists and 117 groundballs through his first two years.
Bouhall also garnered preseason recognition after second team All-League honors following last season. Bouhall recorded 42 groundballs and 20 caused turnovers last year after tallying 35 groundballs and 18 caused turnovers as a freshman in 2016. Among his sophomore-year highlights was a career-high tying four caused turnovers as part of Lehigh’s big home win over No. 16/18 Boston University. Bouhall was recognized with Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Rounding out Lehigh’s preseason All-League honorees was Gaffney, who finished eighth nationally in faceoff percentage as a freshman (61.0 percent, 139-of-228). Gaffney added 96 groundballs as his 8.00 groundballs per game stood fifth nationally. Gaffney won double-digit faceoffs in nine of his 12 games played, earning Patriot League Faceoff Specialist of the Week three times and Rookie of the Week on four occasions.
Lehigh will open the 2018 season on Saturday when it hosts NJIT at 12 p.m.
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Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
Loyola Maryland, 126 points (14 first-place votes)
Army West Point, 115 points (4)
Navy, 92 points
Bucknell, 78 points
Boston U., 77 points
Lehigh, 65 points
Colgate, 45 points
Holy Cross, 34 points
Lafayette, 16 points
Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Pat Spencer, Loyola Maryland, Jr., A
Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: John Surdick, Army West Point, Jr., D
Men’s Lacrosse Preseason All-Patriot League Team*
Attack: Jack Wilson, Boston U., Sr.
Attack: Will Sands, Bucknell, Sr.
Attack: Pat Spencer, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Midfield: David Symmes, Army West Point, Sr.
Midfield: Sean O’Brien, Bucknell, Sr.
Midfield: Greyson Torain, Navy, Jr.
Midfield: Casey Rees, Navy, Sr.
Defense: John Surdick, Army West Point, Jr.
Defense: Matt Gilray, Bucknell, Sr.
Defense: Eddie Bouhall, Lehigh
Goalkeeper: Christian Klipstein, Bucknell, Jr.
Faceoff Specialist: Conor Gaffney (Lenape-NJ), Lehigh, So.
Defensive Specialist: Craig Chick, Lehigh, Jr.
– 13 members on the Preseason All-Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Team due to a tie in the voting