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BALTIMORE -- The University of Delaware men’s lacrosse team was one of 28 school to earn votes in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Pre-Season Coaches Poll announced Monday.

The weekly poll, selected by a committee of nine NCAA Division I head coaches, will be announced each Monday throughout the season.

Delaware, led by 35th year head coach Bob Shillinglaw, did not earn a Top 20 ranking but was one of eight teams to earn votes. The Blue Hens will open the season this Saturday, Feb. 6 when Delaware travels to Saint Joseph’s for a 12 noon game at Finnerty Field. The game will be the first NCAA Division I contest in the country.

Defending national champion Syracuse earned the top spot in the poll as the Orangemen earned 176 points and five of the nine first place votes. Duke was second with four first place votes and 168 points followed by Virginia, North Carolina, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Maryland, Princeton, Notre Dame, and Hofstra.

UMBC and Navy were tied for 11th followed by Georgetown, Harvard, Loyola, Brown, Massachusetts, Albany, Bucknell, and Colgate. Among the teams also earning votes were Denver, Villanova, Towson, Penn State, Stony Brook, Ohio State, Delaware, and Army.

The Blue Hens, who will be looking to improve upon last year’s 5-10 record, will face an imposing schedule this spring that includes contests vs. 10 teams earning Top 20 votes. Delaware will travel to No. 11 UMBC on Feb. 20, play at No. 5 Johns Hopkins on Feb. 23, host No. 18 Albany on Mar. 6, host No. 25 Stony Brook Mar. 13, head to No. 13 Georgetown on Mar. 17, host No. 22 Villanova on Mar. 20, travel to No. 23 Towson on Apr. 3, face No. 10 Hofstra in the Big City Classic at Giants Stadium on Apr. 10, host No. 17 Massachusetts on Apr. 17, and travel to No. 24 Penn State on Apr. 30.

Delaware will host seven home games this season, beginning with the Feb. 13 game vs. Presbyterian. The Hens will play the other six games in Delaware Stadium where a new FieldTurf surface was installed this winter.

Delaware, just two years removed from its 2007 run to the NCAA national semifinals, returns a solid nucleus this spring led by All-American forward Curtis Dickson (at right) and All-CAA standouts Martin Cahill, Pat Dowling, Kevin Kaminski, and Tommy Lee.

Dickson, a two-time All-CAA attackman, is the Hens’ leading returning scorer after tallying 33 goals and 12 assists while Cahill tallied 20 goals and Kaminski recorded 15 markers last season. Dowling, who posted 22 caused turnovers in 2009, is among the CAA’s top defenders while Lee is among the top faceoff specialists, having won 60 percent of his attempts a year ago.

Delaware faced No. 20 Colgate this past Friday in a pre-season scrimmage at Rullo Stadium and defeated the Red Raiders 10-1.

AGATE:

United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Pre-Season Coaches Top 20 Poll: 1. Syracuse, 176 points (5 first place votes); 2. Duke, 168 (4); 3. Virginia, 162; 4. North Carolina, 142; 5. Johns Hopkins, 137; 6. Cornell, 134; 7. Maryland, 133; 8. Princeton, 111; 9. Notre Dame, 110; 10. Hofstra, 102; 11. UMBC and Navy, 75; 13. Georgetown, 67; 14. Harvard, 61; 15. Loyola, 50; 16. Brown, 40; 17. Massachusetts, 28; 18. Albany, 27; 19. Bucknell, 24; 20. Colgate, 17. Others Receiving Votes: Denver, Villanova, Towson, Penn State, Stony Brook, Ohio State, Delaware, Army