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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Utah swept the 2026 Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Preseason Men's Lacrosse superlative awards and was tabbed the favorite, according to the coaches poll voted on by the league's six head coaches, announced on Thursday.
The Utes are coming off a 6-9 season that saw the program reach the tournament final for the fourth consecutive year, but fell short to the Air Force Falcons who were slated second in the coaches poll. Air Force claimed its first tournament title last season after defeating Utah 11-10. The Jacksonville Dolphins, who round out the top three, finished last season with a 9-5 overall record.
Utah's Ryan Stines was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year while fellow Utes, Nikko DiPonio and Tyler Kloeckl were named Preseason Defensive Player and Preseason Specialist of the Year, respectively.
Last season, Stines recorded 23 goals, 40 assists and 63 points. The Cary, N.C., native notched a .582 SOG% and two of the Utes' 10 goals in last year's final. DiPonio closed out last season ranked 12th nationally in ground balls per game with 6.85. The senior and 2025 Defensive Player of the Year recorded five or more ground balls in 11-of-15 matches last season. Kloeckl, a Lakeville, Minn., native recorded 134 face-off wins and 58 ground balls last season. He ranked 20th nationally in face-off winning percentage with a .573.
2025 Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Utah (3) 33
2. Air Force (3) 31
3. Jacksonville 25
4. Bellarmine 18
5. Mercer 11
6. Queens 8
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Ryan Stines, Utah
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Nikko DiPonio, Utah
Preseason Specialist of the Year
Tyler Kloeckl, Utah
2025 Preseason All-ASUN Team
A - Caelan Driggs, Air Force
A - Jack Taylor, Jacksonville
A - Ryan Stines, Utah^
MF - Cole Rassas, Air Force
MF - Mana Wilhelm, Air Force
MF - Cade Faulkner, Utah
LS - Cole Cunningham, Air Force^
SS - Breyden Harrison, Jacksonville
D - Christopher Reynolds, Bellarmine
D - Aaron Toguri, Jacksonville
D - Nikko DiPonio, Utah^
FO - Tyler Kloeckl, Utah
GK - Nicky West, Queens
^ -denotes a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-ASUN Team