PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) announced today the 2026 men's lacrosse preseason coaches poll, with the Storm landing in 5th.
2026 G-MAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Seton Hill sits atop the poll once again, earning 111 points and 10 first-place votes. Walsh follows closely behind in second with 101 points and the remaining first-place vote. Davenport rounds out the top three with 87 points, narrowly edging Northwood (83) and Lake Erie (82).
Behind the Storm are Wheeling (69), while Tiffin, Malone, and Thomas More finished tied for seventh with 47 points apiece. Point Park (28) and Davis & Elkins (23) round out the preseason rankings.
A GAUNTLET TO OPEN 2025
Last season, Lake Erie faced one of the most difficult opening stretches in the country. The Storm opened the year 0-3 in non-conference play, all on the road, facing a brutal slate that included then-#9 UIndy, #13 Lewis, and D'Youville. G-MAC play offered little relief, as Lake Erie opened conference action with a 13-5 loss to then-#9 Seton Hill, a game that would stand as the Griffins' closest conference contest all season as they went undefeated, captured the league title, and eventually advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
STORM SURGE THROUGH CONFERENCE PLAY
Beginning the year 0-4 against that gauntlet, the only direction left was up — and the Storm responded. Lake Erie went on the road and earned back-to-back close wins against Thomas More and Wheeling before returning home and dismantling Davis & Elkins by a 20-3 margin. The Storm would go 1-2 in their next three games, falling to Walsh, dominating Northwood, and finishing winless in non-conference play after a loss to Wilmington.
Three straight conference wins to close out the regular season pushed Lake Erie to a 7-2 G-MAC record, earning the Storm a first-round bye and a home playoff matchup against Walsh. The Cavaliers, however, proved to be a difficult matchup once again, as Lake Erie's season came to a close in the G-MAC Semifinals.
NUMBERS THAT DEFINED THE SEASON
One of the Storm's biggest challenges a year ago came at the faceoff X. Lake Erie won just 90 of 209 faceoffs (30.1%), the second-lowest percentage in the conference, which led to fewer possessions and the second-fewest shots per game in the G-MAC. The Storm also struggled with efficiency, finishing second-worst in the league with just 24.9% of their shots resulting in goals.
Despite those offensive hurdles, Lake Erie's defense was among the league's best, limiting opponents to just 9.71 goals per game, the second-fewest in the conference, contributing to consistently low-scoring contests involving the Storm.
EXPERIENCE RETURNS, REINFORCEMENTS ADDED
Heading into 2026, Lake Erie returns six of the 10 players who started eight or more games last season. Much of the offensive core is back, including five of the team's top seven goal scorers, while the biggest areas to fill come in the midfield and on the defensive end. The Storm welcome eight freshmen and two transfers to help address those gaps.
Head coach Sam Ashton returns for his sixth season at the helm and eighth overall within the program. Assistant coach Graham Lofstead also returns, while the staff adds graduate assistant coach Evan Voss, a former two-time All-American and national champion at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026
Lake Erie will open the 2026 season with a pair of home non-conference contests, beginning on Saturday, February 14 at 1 p.m. against UIndy. The Storm will play five of their first seven games in Painesville, giving Lake Erie an early opportunity to build momentum in front of their home crowd. Conference play begins on March 4, when Lake Erie travels to face Seton Hill in their first G-MAC matchup of the season.
