The web site and publication ranked the Blue Hens, who return five starters and 27 letter winners from last year's team, No. 13 in the nation and No. 2 in the Colonial Athletic Association.
In addition, senior attackman Cam Howard and senior defender Evan Crowther-Washburn were selected to the pre-season honorable mention All-America team, senior Brett Manney was ranked as the nation's No. 5 defensive midfielder and senior Tom Scherr was ranked as the No. 6 goalkeeper in the nation.
In the CAA preseason poll, Towson University was picked No. 1 followed by Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra, Villanova, Sacred Heart and Robert Morris.
Nationally, defending champion Johns Hopkins University, which knocked the Blue Hens out in the 2007 semifinal game, was picked No. 1. The Blue Jays were followed by Duke, Virginia, Georgetown, North Carolina, Maryland, Cornell, Princeton, Navy, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Albany, Towson, Delaware, UMBC, Loyola, Bucknell, Drexel, Hofstra, Massachusetts, Colgate, Ohio State, Army, Dartmouth and Ohio State.
Howard looks to return at full strength this spring after missing all but two games last year due to a knee injury. A three-time All-CAA selection and a 2007 preseason All-American, Howard ranks among the nation's top active scorers with 140 points on 62 goals and 78 assists. He ranks No. 13 on Delaware's all-time points list.
Crowther-Washburn returns as one of the squad's top defensive players. He started all 19 games in 2007 and had two assists, 30 groundballs, and 21 caused turnovers. A two-year letter winner and a journalism major at Delaware, he has played in 31 career games and recorded 33 career groundballs.
Scherr will serve in the role as co-captain for the second straight season. A two-year letter winner, he ranked No. 11 in the nation in goals allowed average (7.81) and No. 14 in save percentage (.538) a year ago and returns this spring as one of the nation's top goalkeepers with 25 victories and 371 saves in his career. An honor student as a chemical engineering major, he is a two-time CAA All-Tournament selection, a two-time team Sportsmanship Award winner and a two-time CAA Academic Honor Roll recipient. He is also an Academic All-America candidate this season.
Of Scherr, Inside Lacrosse noted, “His play in leading Delaware to the Final Four was too impressive to ignore. He'll have to be a rock in net with Alex Smith gone as the Blue Hens will likely play more defense this season.” Princeton's Alex Hewitt was rated as the nation's top netminder.
Of Manney, Inside Lacrosse noted, “In lobbying for Manney, one expert told me to 'pop in a tape of last year's Virginia-Delaware game.' I did. He's right. Manney belongs on the list.” Inside Lacrosse picked Virginia's Will Barrow as the nation's top defensive midfielder.
Manney returns as one of the nation's top defensive midfielders. He appeared in 17 games with two starts a year ago when he had one goal, four assists, 37 groundballs and 15 caused turnovers. An English major who also serves as a sports broadcaster for the University radio station WVUD-FM, he is a two-year letter winner who has played in 36 career games and recorded three goals, four assists, 56 groundballs, and 17 caused turnovers.
Delaware will open its season Feb. 9 at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia in the nation's first NCAA Division I game of 2008.
For more information on UD athletics, see [www.udel.edu/sportsinfo].
