1 – Duke
2009 Record: 15-4
2009 Goals Per Game: 11.74
2009 Goals Against Average: 8.42
The Skinny: A talent-laden team in each of the past few years, the Blue Devils have a great 1-2 punch at attack with Ned Crotty and Max Quinzani. Can 2010 be the year they finally get over the hump?
2 – Syracuse
2009 Record: 16-2
2009 GPG: 12.94
2009 GAA: 7.39
The Skinny: Lost plenty of leadership from last year’s NCAA Championship squad, but everybody said the same thing after ’08. With Cody Jamieson, Stephen Keogh, Joel White and some talented newcomers, ’Cuse has a shot at the three-peat.
3 – Virginia
2009 Record: 15-3
2009 GPG: 13.00
2009 GAA: 8.56
The Skinny: If championships are won at the midfield, the Cavaliers are in good shape, since they return Shamel Bratton and Brian Carroll to lead the most talented and experienced group in the country. The ’Hoos have question marks at attack and in net.
4 – North Carolina
2009 Record: 12-6
2009 GPG: 12.50
2009 GAA: 9.06
The Skinny: The first year under alum Joe Breschi was an unqualified success, with an NCAA Quarterfinals appearance and a bumper recruiting season. How will his sophomore year go with Billy Bitter and Co. in a loaded ACC?
5 – Cornell
2009 Record: 13-4
2009 GPG: 12.18
2009 GAA: 8.41
The Skinny: The Big Red’s run fell agonizingly short last year, and though they graduated some significant talent, coach Jeff Tambroni has a knack for reloading. Rob Pannell and Ryan Hurley are good building blocks at attack.
6 – Johns Hopkins
2009 Record: 10-5
2009 GPG: 11.53
2009 GAA: 10.33
The Skinny: For 38 straight years, the Blue Jays have made the NCAA Tournament, but a near-upset by Brown in the first round and rout at the hands of Virginia in the ’09 Quarterfinals were a step back for a squad that made the Final Four six of the previous seven years and won two titles.
7 – Maryland
2009 Record: 10-7
2009 GPG: 10.00
2009 GAA: 7.71
The Skinny: The Terps lost a lot at midfield, but return nearly all of their attack and defense. With size all over the field, they’ll resemble Maryland teams of old as they look to silence the doubters in a high-pressure year.
8 – Princeton
2009 Record: 13-3
2009 GPG: 11.10
2009 GAA: 7.60
The Skinny: Season One of the Chris Bates era begins in New Jersey, but Bill Tierney left a pretty full cupboard when he exited for Denver. Young stars Jack McBride, Chad Wiedmaier and Tyler Fiorito have the Tigers looking at another NCAA run.
9 – Notre Dame
2009 Record: 15-1
2009 GPG: 11.00
2009 GAA: 6.19
The Skinny: The Fighting Irish led the nation in defense last year and the word from South Bend is this year’s group may be better. Middie Grant Krebs leads an offense that has to adjust to life without Ryan Hoff.
10 – Hofstra
2009 Record: 11-4
2009 GPG: 9.47
2009 GAA: 8.6
The Skinny: Christian Scuderi made All-American for coach Seth Tierney’s squad after transferring a year ago — can Denver-transfer Jamie Lincoln repeat the feat alongside fellow Canadian star Jay Card and get the Pride back to the NCAA Tournament?
11 – Harvard
2009 Record: 8-5
2009 GPG: 10.54
2009 GAA: 6.69
The Skinny: New blood in Cambridge has the excitement for the Crimson nearly boiling over. Attackmen Dean Gibbons and Jeff Cohen and middie Jason Duboe are back to lead the offense, but the defense will need some retooling after being hit by graduation.
12 – Navy
2009 Record: 11-5
2009 GPG: 8.94
2009 GAA: 7.69
The Skinny: Death, Taxes and Navy being at or near the top of the Patriot League — all things you can count on. This year’s crop of Mids is senior-heavy and has key returnees on both offense (Tim Paul, Patrick Moran) and defense (Jaren Woeppel).
13 – Georgetown
2009 Record: 7-7
2009 GPG: 9.64
2009 GAA: 8.71
The Skinny: The Hoyas’ heralded senior class has one last chance to make a run. Attackman Craig Dowd, midfielders Scott Kocis and Andrew Brancaccio and longstick Barney Ehrmann can provide leadership.
14 – UMBC
2009 Record: 12-4
2009 GPG: 12.06
2009 GAA: 8.19
The Skinny: All-American midfielder Kyle Wimer hopes to lead the Retrievers to their fifth straight NCAA Tournament. The midfield was decimated by graduation and longtime starting goalie Jeremy Blevins graduated as well, but Bobby Atwell returns from injury to lead the defense.
15 – Brown
2009 Record: 12-4
2009 GPG: 10.7
2009 GAA: 8.3
The Skinny: Coach Lars Tiffany has one of the best attacks in the country, led by Thomas Muldoon and Andrew Feinberg, which helps balance the graduation of standout goalie Jordan Burke.
16 – Loyola
2009 Record: 9-5
2009 GPG: 10.43
2009 GAA: 8.71
The Skinny: Coach Charlie Toomey’s Greyhounds were heartbreakingly close to wins over Syracuse and Johns Hopkins that would have meant a ticket to the ’09 NCAA Tournament. Look for attackmen Cooper MacDonnell and Colin Finnerty to lead the way in the new-look ECAC.
17 – Denver
2009 Record: 7-8
2009 GPG: 10.27
2009 GAA: 10.00
The Skinny: There’s a lot of enthusiasm in the Mile High City as coach Bill Tierney gets his squad set for their first year of ECAC competition. Mark Matthews leads the attack, Charley Dickenson is a playmaking middie and Dillon Roy is a hard-nosed defenseman.
18 – UMass
2009 Record: 9-6
2009 GPG: 9.53
2009 GAA: 7.93
The Skinny: Graduation hit the Minutemen hard, with four of the top six scorers gone, along with four-year starting goalie Doc Schneider. A young core features All-New England selections Diogo Godoi and Bobby Hayes along with sophomore attacker Art Kell.
19 – Bucknell
2009 Record: 9-7
2009 GPG: 10.44
2009 GAA: 8.00
The Skinny: Like Brown, the Bison are fantastic at attack, starting with assist machine Austin Winter and clutch finisher Charlie Streep. Billy Haire’s graduation leaves a hole on defense.
20 – Albany
2009 Record: 7-7
2009 GPG: 10.57
2009 GAA: 11.64
The Skinny: Brian Caufield continued his evolution into one of the better attackmen out there and Joe Resetarits was an immediate hit for the Danes last year as a freshman. Can they bounce back from a season where all but three losses were to NCAA-bound teams?
21 – Ohio State
2009 Record: 8-8
2009 GPG: 10.06
2009 GAA: 8.81
The Skinny: Jimmy Green is a stud midfielder looking to break out in his senior season. The Buckeyes have a lot of newcomers looking to make a splash for second-year coach Nick Myers.
22 – Army
2009 Record: 6-10
2009 GPG: 9.2
2009 GAA: 8.9
The Skinny: Battling in a tough Patriot League, Jeremy Boltus is the offensive star, but the real key to a strong season will be the play of goalie Tom Palesky.
23 – Penn State
2009 Record: 9-5
2009 GPG: 9.64
2009 GAA: 8.07
The Skinny: PSU has question marks in goal with Drew Adams’ graduation and top recruit Steve Rastivo’s transfer. Always a late-season bloomer, the Lions could benefit from the CAA move if they can get hot for the conference tourney.
24 – Drexel
2009 Record: 7-8
2009 GPG: 8.2
2009 GAA: 8.53
The Skinny: New coach Brian Voelker should bring a new offensive look to a team that ranked in the NCAA’s bottom third on offense last year. Colin Ambler is an emerging star for the Dragons’ attack.
25 – Villanova
2009 Record: 11-6
2009 GPG: 9.24
2009 GAA: 7.65
The Skinny: Can the Wildcats continue the evolution of their program into the mid-major level in the cutthroat Big East?
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