ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum College men's lacrosse team is picked to finish seventh in the South Atlantic Conference according to the 2015 SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Preseason All-SAC Team was also released and Tusculum junior defenseman Mitch Chapman earned a spot on the first team.

The Pioneers, who are competing in their second collegiate season in 2015, return 16 lettermen, including of the team's top goal scores from the program's inaugural team that posted a 5-8 overall record and finished eighth in the SAC standings.

Tusculum received 28 total points of a vote of the league's nine men's lacrosse coaches. Queens University of Charlotte is the favorite to capture this year's regular season title. The Royals captured a share of last year's championship en route to winning the inaugural SAC Tournament title. Queens received 72 points, including eight first place votes.

Lenoir-Rhyne, who shared the SAC championship with Queens a year ago, is picked to finish second with 64 points and one first place vote.

Mars Hill is third with 55 points, followed by Wingate (48), Coker (46), Catawba (42), Tusculum and Brevard (25). Lincoln Memorial, who is competing in its inaugural season, received 16 points and is ninth in the poll.

Chapman, a 5-11, 220-pound product of Oshawa, Ontario, led the Pioneers with 51 ground balls (6th in SAC) and 23 caused turnovers (T2nd in SAC) as he anchored the Tusculum defense. He started in all 13 games where he recorded seven goals and six assists for his 13 points. Chapman's four man-up goals were 11th-best in the league.

The Preseason All-Conference Team is selected by a vote of the league's sports information directors.

The Pioneers will open the 2015 campaign on Feb. 6 at Florida Tech for a 7 p.m. contest in Melbourne, Florida in the inaugural meeting between the two programs. It will be the first of three straight road games for the Black and Orange. Tusculum will open the home portion of its schedule on Feb. 28 against Ohio Valley at the Niswonger Sports Complex and Pioneer Field.

- SAC -

SAC Preseason Men's Lacrosse Coaches' Poll
Rk Team (first-place votes) Pts
1 Queens (8) 72
2 Lenoir-Rhyne (1) 64
3 Mars Hill 55
4 Wingate 48
5 Coker 46
6 Catawba 42
7 TUSCULUM 28
8 Brevard 25
9 Lincoln Memorial 16

2015 Preseason All-Conference Men's Lacrosse Team
First Team
A- Garrett Chan, Queens
A- Casey Hock, Queens
A- Jimmy McBride, Mars Hill
MF- Evan Farkas, Queens
MF- Anthony Malcolm, Mars Hill
MF- Cory Schumacher, Wingate
Long Pole MF- Tim Cloud, Queens
D- Mitch Chapman, Tusculum
D- Stephen O'Hara, Lenoir-Rhyne
D- Patrick Thomas, Queens
Spec.- Kenneth Stryker, Queens
GK- Eric Dolan, Queens

Second Team
A- Austin Murphy, Wingate
A- Jay Goldsmith, Lenoir-Rhyne
A- Ned Kaish, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF- Mike Martiello, Coker
MF- Ryan Sage, Mars Hill
MF- Chase Watts, Wingate
Long Pole MF- Tanner Leach, Mars Hill
D- Drew Thompson, Wingate
D- Mike Dorcy, Lenoir-Rhyne
D- Dylan Marks, Coker
Spec.- Daniel Rew, Catawba
GK- Alex Squires, Lenoir-Rhyne