FREELAND, Mich. -- In a preseason poll of seven Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) men's lacrosse coaches, Hope was slated to finish first overall after garnering five first-place votes.

The 2020 men's lacrosse regular season was cancelled due to COVID-19.  Hope, however, was the regular-season champion in 2019.  The Flying Dutchmen, receiving a total of 35 points, finished in front of second-place Albion (32 points) in the preseason poll.  Calvin and Alma each tallied 21 points to tie-for-third.  Trine was selected fifth with 19 points, while Adrian (11 points) and Kalamazoo (8 points) rounded out the poll in sixth and seventh, respectively.

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

Hope returns 2019 first team All-MIAA player Cole Scheffler and 2019 second team All-MIAA players Jack Radzville, Brayden Blackburn, Liam Cunningham, and Tucker Martinez.

Albion will feature junior attacker Jace Conley, who was the 2019 MIAA Rookie of the Year and first team All-MIAA.  The Britons also welcome back 2019 first team All-MIAA player Joey Tatar, along with 2019 second team All-MIAA players Gerry Haadsma and Bear Nelson.

Calvin will look to returning juniors, Chase Sparling and Hunter Stearns, to lead the Knights.

The first contests between MIAA teams will begin on Saturday, February 27, with Trine hosting Albion, Alma hosting Adrian, and Calvin hosting Kalamazoo.  The final six games on this season's schedule will count as conference contests.  

The 2021 MIAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament will include all seven teams (No. 1 seed with first-round bye) and will begin Saturday, May 1, with first-round play; semifinals will be held on Wednesday, May 5, followed by the final on Saturday, May 8.  The winner will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship.