BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Army West Point men’s lacrosse team was selected as the 2026 Patriot League men’s lacrosse preseason favorite with 63 points and seven first-place votes. The Black Knights and Navy each had two student-athletes garner major awards, when the League office announced the honors on Wednesday.
Boston University claimed the second spot in the poll with 56 points and two first-place votes, while Navy tallied 40 points in third. Loyola Maryland placed fourth with 39 points, followed by Lafayette with 37 points to round out the top five. Lehigh earned 33 points, followed by defending Patriot League champion Colgate (32), Bucknell (15) and Holy Cross (9).
Army West Point senior midfielder Evan Plunkett was tabbed as the 2026 Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, while teammate senior Sean Byrne was selected as the 2026 Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year after earning the postseason honors in 2025.
Navy junior AJ Marsh earned 2026 Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors, while fellow classmate Zach Hayashi rounded out the major awards as the 2026 Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Faceoff Specialist of the Year.
For the second straight year, the Black Knights placed five student-athletes on the 16-member preseason All-League Team. Joining Byrne and Plunkett are sophomore attack Hill Plunkett, senior defender John Sullivan and senior short-stick defensive midfielder Keagan Treacy.
The Midshipmen’s sophomore midfielder Jack Ponzio accompanied Hayashi and Marsh as All-League selections, while Boston University was represented by sophomore attack Timothy Shannehan, sophomore midfielder Andrew Pape and senior defender Connor Kehm.
Lehigh placed two players on the preseason All-League Team, including senior defender Luke McAuliffe and senior long-stick midfielder Richard Checo.
Colgate’s senior attack Hunter Drouin, Bucknell’s junior midfielder Peter Grandolfo and Loyola Maryland’s senior attack Matt Minicus earned a spot on the preseason All-League Team.
The preseason poll and individual awards were voted on by the men's lacrosse coaches from each institution, with restrictions on voting for their team and student-athletes.
2026 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Evan Plunkett, Army West Point, Sr., Midfielder, Roswell, Ga./Roswell
*Plunkett, the 2024 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, recorded 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points during his 2025 campaign.
*The three-time All-Patriot League First Team selection had three games with a hat trick and was a top-25 finalist for the 2025 Tewaaraton Award.
*Plunkett ranked tied for 12th in the League in assists per game (1.14) and 21st in points per game (2.14).
*The Roswell, Ga. native enters his final season with 64 goals, 60 assists and 124 points.
Career Awards: USA Lacrosse Magazine
All American (2023 – Honorable Mention, 2024 – First Team, 2025 – Second Team), Inside Lacrosse Media All-American (2023 – Honorable Mention, 2024 – First Team, 2025 – Third Team), 2024 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, 2023 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, All-Patriot League First Team (2023-25)
2026 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
AJ Marsh, Navy, Jr., Defender, Reistertown, Md./McDonogh School
*Marsh notched 25 ground balls and a team-high 14 caused turnovers in 15 games last season.
*The junior added five goals and four assists for nine points to earn an All-Patriot League First Team selection.
*Marsh ranked tied for 23rd in the Patriot League in caused turnovers per game (0.93) and was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week on March 2, 2025.
*The Reistertown, Md. native heads into the 2026 season with 44 ground balls, 18 caused turnovers, six goals and six assists in 25 career games.
Career Awards: USA Lacrosse Magazine
All-American (2025 – Honorable Mention), Inside Lacrosse Media All-American (2025 – Honorable Mention), All-Patriot League First Team (2025), All-Patriot League Second Team (2024)
2026 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Preseason Faceoff Specialist of the Year
Zach Hayashi, Navy, Jr., Faceoff Specialist, North Potomac, Md./McDonogh School
*Hayashi played in eight of Navy’s 15 games in 2025 and won 63-of-119 faceoffs for a .529 winning percentage, which ranked seventh in the Patriot League.
*The junior added 29 grounds balls and averaged 3.63 ground balls per game, ranking 10th in the League.
*The North Potomac, Md. native enters his junior season with 211 faceoff wins, a .584 faceoff win percentage and 101 groundballs.
Career Awards: 2024 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, All-Patriot League Second Team (2024)
2026 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Sean Byrne, Army West Point, Sr., Goalkeeper, Acworth, Ga./Allatoona
*Byrne was named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year last season after the leading the League and NCAA Division I in goals-against average (7.50) and save percentage (0.607).
*He also finished seventh in saves (147) and eighth in saves per game (10.50) in the Patriot League.
*The Acworth, Ga. native enters the 2026 season as the NCAA Division I active leader in goals-against average (8.56)
*The senior has played in 28 games, making 20 starts for the Black Knights, compiling 233 saves, a .585 save percentage, 49 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers and a 16-4 record.
Career Awards: USA Lacrosse Magazine
All-American (2025 – Third Team), Inside Lacrosse Media All-American (2025 – Third Team), 2025 Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, All-Patriot League First Team (2025)
2026 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Evan Plunkett, Army West Point, Sr., M
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – AJ Marsh, Navy, Jr., D
Preseason Faceoff Specialist of the Year – Zach Hayashi, Navy, Jr., FO
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year – Sean Byrne, Army West Point, Sr., GK
2026 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Student-athletes are listed by position; then alphabetically by school
Attack: Hill Plunkett, Army West Point, So.
Attack: Timothy Shannehan, Boston University, So.
Attack: Hunter Drouin, Colgate, Sr.
Attack: Matt Minicus, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Midfielder: Evan Plunkett, Army West Point, Sr.
Midfielder: Andrew Pape, Boston University, So.
Midfielder: Peter Grandolfo, Bucknell, Jr.
Midfielder: Jack Ponzio, Navy, So.
Defense: John Sullivan, Army West Point, Sr.
Defense: Connor Kehm, Boston University, Sr.
Defense: Luke McAuliffe, Lehigh, Sr.
Defense: AJ Marsh, Navy, Jr.
Goalkeeper: Sean Byrne, Army West Point, Sr.
Faceoff Specialist: Zach Hayashi, Navy, Jr.
Long-Stick Midfielder: Richard Checo, Lehigh, Sr.
Short-Stick Defensive Midfielder: Keagan Treacy, Army West Point, Sr.
2026 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. Army West Point – 63 (7 first-place votes)
2. Boston University – 56 (2)
3. Navy – 40
4. Loyola Maryland – 39
5. Lafayette – 37
6. Lehigh – 33
7. Colgate – 32
8. Bucknell –15
9. Holy Cross – 9
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 who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.