INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Malone University men's lacrosse team is tied for seventh in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Preseason Coaches Poll. The Pioneers enter 2026 under the direction of Head Coach Michael Campbell in his fourth season with the program. Last year, Malone was seventh in the conference standings at 5-10 overall and 3-6 in league play.
 
Seton Hill University, the reigning G-MAC champions, were chosen as the favorites to repeat with 111 points and all ten available first-place votes. Walsh University received the remaining first-place ballot and were second with 101 total points. The Pioneers are tied with Tiffin University and Thomas More University with 47 points apiece. Newcomers to the G-MAC in Point Park University are tenth of eleven squads.
 
Malone loses three of their top four point scorers from one year ago, but senior Darek Smith returns after he scored 20 goals and assisted on 19 others. Senior Ramsey Burnard and junior John Mautz III will also be responsible for filling that hole offensively as they were each double-figure goal scorers in 2025.
 
Defensively, the team returns senior Cody Borgert and redshirt junior Nick Sanderson. Sanderson spent some time in goal one year ago, but will come out to make room for four other players in net. Senior Trent Urquhart provides the most experience, but there is also youth in the program in sophomore Alex Lavalle, redshirt freshman Andy Lopez and freshman Zach Johnson.
 
Urquhart, Bergert, Smith and Burnard are joined by Khi Finch and Nate Wilson in the senior class. The rest of the roster consists of four juniors, five sophomores and 14 freshmen.
 
The season kicks off on Wednesday, February 11 at home against William Jewell College. The action begins at 2:00 P.M.