Defending champions Salisbury picked No. 1 by Face-Off Yearbook
BALTIMORE - For the fifth straight year Face-Off Yearbook, produced by Inside Lacrosse, has picked Salisbury University as the preseason No. 1 team in NCAA Division III men's lacrosse.

Salisbury finished a record breaking season in 2007 as the Sea Gulls went a perfect 23-0 en route to the program's seventh national championship, fourth in five years. The Sea Gulls set a NCAA record for wins in a season (23), goals in a season (417), assists in a season (271) and points in a season (688). The goals, assists and points records broke the previous record held by the highly decorated 1995 National Champion Sea Gull squad. Salisbury also posted a 17-0 home record at Sea Gull Stadium.

Face-Off Yearbook started in 1994 and over the 15 years SU has never been ranked lower then fourth in the top 20 preseason rankings. It has been picked No. 1 a record eight times.

Salisbury was also selected by Face-Off Yearbook as the top team in the Capital Athletic Conference. The Sea Gulls have won every CAC title (13) since joining the conference in 1995.

The annual preview guide for men's college lacrosse also named six Sea Gulls, out of 90 players, to one of the four preseason Division III All-American teams. Salisbury tied the school record for All-American's in a season with 11 in '07. The Sea Gulls placed six on the first team, one on both the second and third teams and had three honorable mention selections. The 1995 team had 11 All-Americans as well.

Salisbury attackman Matt Hickman and junior midfielder Kylor Berkman were named to the Face-Off Yearbook preseason first-team.

Berkman is one of four juniors on the 12 player team dominated by seniors. Last season, Berkman was one of five Sea Gulls to earn a national award as he was named the Division III Midfielder of the Year. The Salisbury, Md., native led the team in assists with 44 and ranked 26th in the country in assists per game with a 1.19 assists per game average. The first-team All-American and first-team All-CAC honoree ranked fourth on the team with 79 points and second on the team among midfielders with 35 goals.

Hickman was named a second-team All-American and a first-team All-CAC selection after his breakout season in '07. The national championship game's Most Outstanding Player ranked second on the team with 75 goals and had a 3.41 goals per game average to rank him seventh nationally. The Darnestown, Md., native also ranked second on the team with 94 points and had a 4.27 points per game average to rank him 15th in the country in that category.

Senior attackman Greg Titus was named to the preseason second team while senior defenseman Ben Sandlin was selected to the third team.

Titus had a season to remember in '07 as he was three goals away from tying the school record of 79 goals in a season set by SU Hall of Famer Jason Coffman. The Setauket, N.Y., native led the team in goals scored (76) and ranked third on the team in points (91). Titus was an honorable mention All-American last season. Titus ranked ninth in the nation in goals per game with a 3.30 goals per game average and ranked 26th in points per game with a 3.96 average.

Sandlin played in all 23 games last season and started eight of them. The Magnolia, Del., native scooped up 42 ground balls and had 20 caused turnovers in '07. Sandlin was part of the No. 1 ranked defense in the country in '07 where the Sea Gulls only allowed five goals a game and did not allow one opponent to score in double figures last season.

Senior midfielder Brett Yoder and senior long-stick midfielder Ryan Browning were named preseason honorable mention picks at their respective positions.

Yoder earned honorable mention All-American honors in '07 and was the lone Sea Gull to be named to the All-CAC second team. Yoder ranked second on the team in assists (38) and added 15 goals on the year. The Parkton, Md. native cracked the top 50 in assists per game with a 1.65 average to rank him 49th in the nation.

Browning played in all 23 games last season and started three for the Sea Gulls. The Cockeysville, Md., native scored two goals, two assists and had four points for the maroon and gold. He also scooped up 53 ground balls and caused 26 turnovers.

Salisbury's 2008 schedule features four teams ranked in the 2008 Face-Off Yearbook preseason top 20 rankings including three in the Top 10. The four teams are No. 3 Lynchburg (Feb. 23 at home), No. 4 Gettysburg (Mar. 29 on the road), No. 10 St. Lawrence (Mar. 20 in Florida) and No. 11 Washington (Apr. 26 at home). SU is the only CAC school in the top 20 poll.

The yearbook will be released next week (December 13) at the IMLCA Clinic in Philadelphia. You can also order the magazine through Inside Lacrosse at www.insidelacrosse.com for $9.95 plus shipping.

2008 Face-Off Yearbook Division III Top 20 Preseason Rankings

* Salisbury opponent in 2008