Men's Volleyball Tabbed 3rd in Preseason Poll

NEWTON, Mass. (1/17/2017) -- The Lasell College men's volleyball team was predicted to finish third in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) preseason poll, as announced by the conference office in advance of the upcoming 2017 season on Monday afternoon.

Lasell garnered 50 total points and one first-place vote in the annual ranking of the league's eight head coaches. The Lasers trail second-place Rivier by four points, while defending GNAC champion Wentworth earned the top spot with 62 points and six first-place votes.

The Lasers finished last season 16-13 overall and tied Wentworth for first place in the GNAC with a 12-2 conference mark. After ending the regular season with four wins in its last five matches and earning a first-round bye in GNAC postseason play, Lasell dropped a four-set decision to Rivier in the semifinal round.

Returning All-GNAC First Team selection Patrick MacDonald (Floral Park, N.Y.) is one of sixth-year head coach Tom Olson's four seniors. MacDonald's 3.16 kills per set ranked fourth in the league last year and his 131 digs ranked third on the team, while classmate Jeffrey Vautrin (Chicopee, Mass.) paced the offense with 3.98 kills per set in 11 matches.

Both GNAC teams ranked ahead of Lasell garnered national attention in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III poll this preseason. Wentworth is ranked ninth after winning last season's conference title in five sets over third-seeded Rivier to clinch its first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, while the Raiders sit in a tie for 15th.

Lasell commences its season on Saturday, January 21 with two matches at the Golden Dome Invitational in Newark, N.J. The Lasers will face Elmira and host Rutgers-Newark, with first serve against the Soaring Eagles set for 1:00 p.m.