2026 NEC Men's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll          1. Robert Morris (6)          2. LIU (2)          3. Le Moyne          4. Detroit Mercy          5. VMI          6. Cleveland State          7. Mercyhurst          8. Wagner          First place votes in parentheses

Bridgewater, NJ — Defending champion Robert Morris will look to add a fourth NEC men’s lacrosse title to its trophy case, but there are several hungry challengers who may stand in its way.

Coming off a regular-season and NEC Tournament championship campaign, the Colonials were tabbed as the favorite in the NEC preseason coaches poll, receiving six first-place votes. LIU was picked second with two first-place nods.

2025 NEC co-regular season champion Le Moyne was picked third, followed by Detroit Mercy in fourth and VMI in fifth. Cleveland State, Mercyhurst and Wagner rounded out the poll in that order.

NEC men's lacrosse returned last season following a two-year hiatus.

After finishing 11-6 overall and 6-1 in conference play, Robert Morris put an exclamation point on its season in the NEC final, ripping off 10 straight first-half goals en route to a 17-8 victory over Detroit Mercy. While the Colonials saw several of their key contributors selected in the NLL draft, a quarter of First Team All-NEC selections return in 2026: junior defender Owen Tapper (Whitby, Ontario/The Hill Academy), junior midfielder Gavin Pedone (St. Charles, IL/Wheaton Academy), senior attacker Calum Brennan (Kingsville, Ontario/Kingsville District) and junior defender Elijah Edwards (Cambridge, Ontario/The Hill Academy). Brennan, the NEC Tournament MVP, was the NEC’s most potent offensive threat in 2025, netting 49 goals and 60 points. Those numbers were good for first and third in the NEC, respectively.

The Colonials also bring back starting goaltender Nate Fechter (Dresher, PA/Upper Dublin), a Second Team All-NEC selection in 2025. Fechter ranked third in the league in both goals against average (10.06) and save percentage (.548). The junior was the catalyst behind RMU’s stifling defense during conference play, helping the Colonials hold opponents to a league-low 7.13 goals per game.

LIU’s 2025 campaign ended in heartbreak with a 12-11 overtime loss to Robert Morris in the NEC semifinals, but the Sharks bring back a strong core in pursuit of the program’s first NEC crown. All-NEC First Team selection Aidan Zuhoski (Riverhead, NY/St. Anthony’s) returns for his junior season off the back of a 32-point campaign from the midfielder.

Numerous All-NEC Second Team selections return as well, including junior defender Ryan Fountain (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa), senior attacker Cameron Connolly (Seaford, NY/Seaford), senior defender Tyler Davide (Nesconset, NY/Sachem North) and junior attacker Ben McIssac (Toronto, Ontario/Humberside).

Le Moyne will also have its eyes on a first-ever NEC crown in 2026. The Dolphins return the reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year and All-NEC First Team selection Lucas Winger (Glenview, IL/Glenbrook South) in net. The junior had an outstanding season between the pipes in 2025, leading the NEC in goals against average (7.70) and save percentage (.636).

Detroit Mercy brings back a key contributor as well in sophomore Marcus Thundercloud (Cedarburg, WI/University School of Milwaukee), the 2025 NEC Rookie of the Year and a Second Team All-NEC pick. Thundercloud scored 22 goals and tallied 24 points in his debut campaign.

Le Moyne and Mercyhurst are both eligible to compete in the NEC Tournament, but are ineligible to compete in the NCAA Tournament during the reclassification process.

The NEC Men’s Lacrosse Championships take place on April 30 and May 2, hosted by the No. 1 seed. The winner will earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The 2026 NEC season opens up with three squads playing on January 31.

About The NEC
Now in its 45th season, the NEC is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of ten institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#9). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#88). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, New Haven, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website (www.necsports.com) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.