CANTON, Ga. (January 27, 2025) – Coming off a fourth-straight season of either sharing or winning the conference title outright, Centre was voted the favorite heading into 2025, topping the SAA men’s lacrosse preseason poll.
The Colonels earned 34 total points and four first place votes in the poll conducted among the SAA’s seven head coaches. Co-champions the last two seasons, Sewanee checked in at No. 2 with 31 points and two first place votes. Rhodes (27), Berry (21), and SAA newcomer Southwestern (17) rounded out the top five.
2025 SAA Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll:
1. Centre - 34 (4)
2. Sewanee - 31 (2)
3. Rhodes - 27 (1)
4. Berry - 21
5. Southwestern - 17
6. Hendrix - 11
7. Oglethorpe – 6
Centre enters the season with a 21-2 in-conference record over the last four years, including a 5-1 mark (14-4 overall) in 2024. The Colonels outscored opponents by an average of nearly seven goals a game in SAA play and had the top defense in the league by allowing just eight goals a game. Reigning SAA Offensive Player of the Year David Cadwell leads a group of four returners named All-SAA First Team last season for head coach Grant Zimmerman.
Sewanee shared the regular season title with Centre the last two seasons, finishing 5-1 in league play each year. In 2024, the Tigers rode a balanced attack to the SAA Tournament title game, falling in a one-goal thriller for the second-straight year. Three All-SAA First Team performers return for Sewanee looking to lead the Tigers back to the SAA mountaintop.
The regular season beings with two teams in action on February 1 while the first conference game is set for February 8 between Hendrix and Southwestern. The first round of the SAA Tournament will be played on campus sites Saturday, April 26. The top seed will then host the semifinals Friday, May 2 and championship game Sunday, May 4.
Fans can follow SAA men’s lacrosse all season long at SAA-Sports.com
SAA Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll History
2024 (No. 1 Centre)
2023 (No. 1 Centre)
2022 (No. 1 Centre)
SAA Men’s Lacrosse Regular Season Champions (Tournament Champion)
2024: Centre/Sewanee (Centre)
2023: Centre/Sewanee (Centre)
2022: Centre (Sewanee)
2021: Centre (Centre)
2020: none
2019: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2018: Rhodes (Rhodes)
2017: Rhodes (Sewanee)
2016: Sewanee (Sewanee)
2015: Sewanee/Berry/Centre (Sewanee)
2014: Sewanee (Centre)
2013: Sewanee/Centre/Berry (Sewanee)