BETHLEHEM, Pa. – For the eighth consecutive year, the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds have been selected as the preseason favorite with 125 points and 13 first-place votes, when awards were announced by the League office on Friday.

Army West Point earned the second spot in the poll with 111 points and four first-place votes, while Lehigh also tallied one first-place vote to go with 104 points. Navy placed fourth with 77 points as Boston University followed with 67 points to round out the top five. Bucknell earned 66 points for sixth place, followed by Holy Cross (40), Colgate (39) and Lafayette (19).
 
Army junior attack Brendan Nichtern was named the 2021 Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Loyola Maryland graduate student long-stick midfielder Ryan McNulty earned preseason defensive player of the year for the second-straight season.
 
Loyola led the way with six players on the 16-member preseason all-league team: attack seniors Kevin Lindley and Aidan Olmstead, graduate student midfielder Peter Swindell, junior defender Cam Wyers, McNulty, and graduate student short-stick defensive midfielder Matt Higgins.
 
Army and Lehigh each placed four players on the all-league team, while Bucknell had two players and Holy Cross placed one. Black Knights’ Nichtern was joined by a trio teammates - junior midfielder Bobby Abshire, junior defender Marcus Hudgins and junior goalie Wyatt Schupler - on the preseason team.
 
Lehigh junior attack Tommy Schelling, graduate student midfielder Andrew Eichelberger, senior defender Teddy Leggett and graduate student faceoff specialist Conor Gaffney, Bucknell junior midfielder Harry Wellford and senior defender Bryant Boswell along with Holy Cross junior defender Chris Conlin all earned a spot on the squad.

The preseason poll and individual awards were voted on by the men’s lacrosse coaches and sports information directors from each institution, with restrictions on voting for their own team and student-athletes.
 
2021 Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Jr., A, Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa
* Nichtern led the team in assists (27) and in points (46) last season, to go along with 19 goals to rank second on the team. Three of his 19 goals were game-winners.
* The junior ranked fourth in the nation with 3.38 assists per game and ninth in points per game (5.75) in 2020.
* Nichtern was named to the Inside Lacrosse All-America Third Team and the Tewaaraton Award Watch List last season.
 
 
2021 Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Ryan McNulty, Loyola Maryland, Gr., LSM, Exton, Pa./Bishop Shanahan
*McNulty posted 23 ground balls and a team-leading 11 caused turnovers during an abbreviated 2020 season. In 42 career games, he has 51 caused turnovers, 145 ground balls and 14 points (8 goals, 6 assists) on the offensive side.
* He was a key player in six-on-six defense as Loyola finished seventh nationally in scoring defense (8.67 goals allowed per game) and sixth in clearing percentage (.903)
* McNulty was an Inside Lacrosse Second-Team All-American in 2020, and he earned honorable mention All-America honors from the USILA in 2019.

Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Student-athletes are listed by position; then alphabetically by school
Attack: Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Jr.
Attack: Tommy Schelling, Lehigh, Jr.
Attack: Kevin Lindley, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Attack: Aidan Olmstead, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Midfielder: Bobby Abshire, Army West Point, Jr.
Midfielder: Harry Wellford, Bucknell, Jr.
Midfielder: Andrew Eichelberger, Lehigh, Gr.
Midfielder: Peter Swindell, Loyola Maryland, Gr.
Defense: Marcus Hudgins, Army West Point, Jr.
Defense: Bryant Boswell, Bucknell, Sr.
Defense: Chris Conlin, Holy Cross, Jr.
Defense: Teddy Leggett, Lehigh, Sr.
Defense: Cam Wyers, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Goalie: Wyatt Schupler, Army West Point, Jr.
FaceOff Specialist: Conor Gaffney, Lehigh, Gr.
Long-Stick Midfielder: Ryan McNulty, Loyola Maryland, Gr.
Short-Stick Defensive Midfielder: Matt Higgins, Loyola Maryland, Gr.

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Jr., A
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year –  Ryan McNulty, Loyola Maryland, Gr., LSM

Preseason Poll
Loyola Maryland – 125 (13 first-place votes)
Army West Point – 111 (4)
Lehigh – 104 (1)
Navy – 77
Boston University – 67
Bucknell – 66
Holy Cross – 40
Colgate – 39
Lafayette – 19
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.