Men's Lacrosse Put Fourth in CACC's Preseason Coaches Poll
Purple Knights have finished fifth in the conference standings each of the last two years.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Ready to begin their fourth year as a varsity program in 2026, the University of Bridgeport's men's lacrosse team was voted fourth in the CACC's preseason coaches poll released on Thursday.
The Purple Knights enter the new season looking to take another step forward after finishing fifth in the CACC regular-season standings for the second straight year in 2025, posting identical 4-4 league and 7-8 overall records.
Experience will be a major strength for the Purple Knights, who return 25 players from last year's roster, including 13 members of the program's inaugural 2023 squad.
UB's depth is underscored by a veteran-heavy lineup that features 22 upperclassmen and 16 seniors. Among the key returners is a trio of CACC All-Conference selections in Ryan Thomas, James Napoli and Connor Cullen.
Thomas ranked second in the conference in caused turnovers per game (2.67), while Napoli paced the Purple Knights offensively with team highs in goals (25), assists (18), and points (43). Cullen was dominant at the faceoff X, winning 134-of-213 draws to rank third in the CACC with a .624 win percentage.
Guiding this experienced group is first-year head coach Ryan McAleavey, who brings a wealth of Division II experience to Bridgeport. McAleavey previously led Florida Tech from 2010-18, building the Panthers from a start-up program into a nationally ranked contender.
In his final season there, Florida Tech went 9-6 overall, finished 6-1 in conference play, and climbed as high as No. 9 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Poll and No. 13 in the USILA Coaches Poll.
The Purple Knights will officially start their 2026 campaign on Feb. 18 with a matchup at Farmingdale State.
A full season preview for UB Men's Lacrosse will be posted to UBKnights.com in mid-February.
2026 CACC MEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Georgian Court (5) - 61 pts.
2. Wilmington (4) – 60
3. Chestnut Hill – 43
4. Bridgeport – 39
5. Holy Family – 36
Post – 36
7. Dominican – 24
8. Felician – 16
9. Caldwell - 9
For all information regarding Bridgeport Athletics, visit www.UBKnights.com and follow UB Athletics on Facebook (UBPurpleKnights), X (@UBPurpleKnights) and Instagram (@UBPurpleKnights).