BETHLEHEM, Pa. – As the second semester gets underway and Lehigh begins preparations for the upcoming season, head coach Chris Wakely has announced the Mountain Hawks 2006 schedule, which promises to be one of the most challenging in recent years. This year’s slate features matchups with seven teams that are ranked in the preseason top-20 poll, including three from the Patriot League.
“Our league is becoming ever-more competitive, both within league competition and nationally,” explains Wakely. “Our focus is always going to be doing well in Patriot League play and we’re excited about the growth of our league over the past few seasons, as evidenced by two teams making it to the NCAA Tournament last season and three teams being chosen in 2004.”
Wakely continues, “In the Patriot League there are three teams (Navy, Army and Bucknell) ranked within the preseason top-25 poll, and another two (Lehigh and Colgate) that are receiving votes in the polls. Our objective is to receive a bid to the national tournament and this schedule allows us to go there by doing well in the conference and by meeting the challenges placed in front of us out of conference.”
Lehigh opens its schedule in a little more than three weeks, when the Mountain Hawks welcome Delaware to the Ulrich Sports Complex on Saturday, February 18. The Blue Hens are ranked 16th in the Inside Lacrosse Pre-season poll after posting an 11-6 season in 2005. One week later the Brown and White will play host to MAAC member Marist, who posted eight wins last season, and will open its 2006 campaign on that day in South Bethlehem.
On February 28, the Mountain Hawks close out the month with a trip to Philadelphia to take on St. Joe’s. Lehigh defeated the Hawks in Florida last year during Spring Break and will look to duplicate that feat this season in the City of Brotherly Love. On Saturday, March 4, Lehigh opens its Patriot League schedule when the Mountain Hawks welcome the Black Knights of Army to town. Army checks in at number-15 in the preseason poll after being selected to the NCAA Tournament in 2005. Lehigh has played the Black Knights very tough each of the past two seasons, losing by just three goals each time.
Following a one-week break, the Mountain Hawks will be back on the field on March 11, as Mount St. Mary’s makes its way to the Ulrich Sports Complex. The Mountaineers, like Marist, play in the MAAC, and won eight games in 2005. On March 15, Lehigh will embark on the first of three straight games away from home, starting with a trip to Ithaca to take on Ivy League power Cornell. The Big Red are ranked eighth in the preseason national poll, and made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament last year, falling to eventual national runner-up Duke.
Next, the Mountain Hawks will head to Syracuse, New York to take on Vermont, of the tough America East Conference, on March 18. On Friday, March 24, Lehigh takes to the road once again, heading to Annapolis to take on the Navy Midshipmen. The Mids, who advanced all the way to the National Championship game in 2004, are seventh in the preseason poll, and have won the last two Patriot League Tournaments.
On April 1, the Bucknell Bison head to the Ulrich Sports Complex for a Saturday afternoon showdown with Lehigh. The Bison will be under the direction of new head coach Frank Fedorjaka and are ranked 25th in the preseason poll. One week later the Mountain Hawks head to Hamilton, New York to face the Colgate Raiders. Lehigh downed Colgate 12-11 in overtime last season in a game that had large post season implications. This year’s game is scheduled to begin at 3:00.
On Wednesday April 12, the Seawolves of Stony Brook will come to South Bethlehem for a 7:00 contest. Stony Brook is ranked 20th in the Lacrosse Magazine’s preseason poll after finishing 2005 with a record of 10-6. Lehigh’s final home game of 2006 will come vs. the Crusaders of Holy Cross on Saturday, April 15 beginning at 1:00. The Mountain Hawks downed Holy Cross last year in Worcester by an 11-9 count.
The weekend of April 21-23 promises to be full of excitement for the Brown and White. First, on Friday evening, the Mountain Hawks will travel to Easton to take on archrival Lafayette, starting at 7:00. Lehigh has never lost to the Leopards under the direction of Wakely, including a 9-7 decision last year, which sealed a post season bid. On Sunday afternoon, Lehigh heads to Bethesda, Maryland to take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. That game, which will be played at Georgetown Prep, is set for a 2:00 start time. Notre Dame is ranked 12th in the preseason poll and finished the 2005 season with a record of 7-4.
Lehigh went 9-5 a season ago, winning its most games since 1997, and defeated two teams ranked within the top-25 along the way. The Mountain Hawks also qualified for the Patriot League Tournament for the first-time ever.
