GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. –  The Colorado Mesa Men's Lacrosse team will begin the 2020 season with a three-game road trip in Florida and Georgia. The Mavericks first stop will be in Jacksonville, Fla. for games against Embry-Riddle University (Feb 6/4:30 pm) and Saint Leo University (Feb 8/12pm). The trip will wrap up against Shorter University in Rome, Ga. On Feb 10 at noon.

All About the Mavs

The Mavericks guided by Vince Smith, are coming off a season that saw them go 10-8 overall and 4-2 in conference. 

As a unit, the 55-man squad welcomes back 22 players while featuring 33 newcomers. The roster beckoned a second-seed in RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll prediction.

Coach Smith, Deandre Ross and Braden Plock sat down with media prior to their trip to discuss the upcoming season. The men's lacrosse preview can be found in the link provided above.

Two key players from a season ago are returning this year to the Maverick roster, Joe Wulforst IV and Johnny Cary. These two are featured in the RMAC's Players to Watch release which replaced the RMAC Preseason First Team. Wulforst and Cary each earned RMAC accolades last season and will be seniors for the 2020 season.  Wulforst recorded the third most goals on the team during his junior campaign and earned Second Team All-RMAC. He was also a member of the All-Tournament team. Cary is returning for his senior season after earning First Team All-RMAC accolades last season. He recorded the fourth most goals and added five assists.

Jason Kauo and Carson Schwark return to this year's roster and combined for 42 points lasts season. Kauo's 15 goals were the seventh most goals scored by a player last season and Schwark followed with 14 goals. Jake Keyes who played in each of the team's 18 games last season will be a junior this year and is coming off a season that saw him score 12 goals and record 8 assists.

Brian Buckner who started in ten games last season returns to the roster as senior and recorded the fourth most caused turnovers (12). Vinny Curci who played in nine games and record five starts finished last year with 10 caused turnovers.

After missing the majority of last season due to injury Remi Reeves is likely to see time in the net this season. He is a two-time RMAC Goalkeeper of the Year and has recorded 369 saves in his career with a 31-7 record while being in the net.

Christian Cherry who played 13 games last season as goalkeeper returns this season as a senior. He finished last season with 85 saves and a 48.6 saves percentage while being named the RMAC Summit Award Winner for having the highest gpa at the 2018 RMAC Tournament.

Troy Moyer joined this the team this year as an assistant coach for the Mavericks. He was hired in July 2019 and joins the program after working as the defensive coordinator, the special teams unit, and working as the assistant strength and condition coach.

National Ranking

The Mavericks were picked No. 20 in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Coaches Preseason Poll which was release on Jan 28. Saint Leo, who the Mavericks will see in Florida, is the first team receiving votes.

The Mavericks were also picked No. 20 in the US Lacrosse Magazine's Nike Division II Preseason Poll.

Preseason Coaches' Poll

The Colorado Mesa Men's Lacrosse team received one first place vote and was picked second in this year's RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll which was announced Jan 28 by conference officials.

The three-time RMAC Champions received seven points overall in the poll of the conference's four head coaches, who each ranked their opposition 1-3 without voting for themselves. Westminster finished first with nine overall points and three first place votes.  CSU-Pueblo followed in third place with five votes while Adams State received three.

The Mavericks will open up RMAC season at home on Feb 21 against Adams State.

Scouting Embry-Riddle University

The Embry-Riddle men's lacrosse team was picked to finish eighth in the Sunshine State Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, a conference with eight men's lacrosse teams.

Coached by Spencer Wims, last season the team finished 8-9 overall and 0-7.

Last season, Jacobs Coleman led the team with 52 points that included 39 goals and 13 assists. He has returned for the 2020 season as a sophomore playing as an attack.

Scouting Saint Leo

Saint Leo men's lacrosse team was polled No. 16 in the 2020 US Lacrosse Magazine's Nike Division II Preseason Poll and was the first team receiving votes by the USILA.

The Lions concluded 2019 as the Sunshine State Conference Tournament Runners-up with a season record of 10-7, 4-3 in the SSC.

This team is coached by Brad Jorgensen who is in his 15^th year. This 2020 team is returning five of their eight 2019 All-Sunshine Conference member.

Philip Buque recorded 70 points last season which was second best on the team. He recorded 51 goals and 19 assists as a junior last season.

The Mavericks are 0-1 all time against Saint Leo after falling to the Lions 9-7 in 2016.

Scouting Shorter University

Last season this team went 0-12 overall and 0-5 in the GLVC.

The Mavericks are 2-0 all-time against Shorter University and have out scored the Hawks 22-13.

In the Mavericks most recent matchup which, took place in Rome, Ga., the Mavs won 9-7.

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