FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. -- Hope College and Albion College were selected as co-favorites in the 2026 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Preseason Poll, voted on by the seven head coaches whose institutions sponsor men's lacrosse.
The Flying Dutchmen and the Brits headline a competitive league that features multiple returning All-MIAA honorees and recent postseason success across the conference. Trine University and Adrian College follow closely behind, while Calvin University, Kalamazoo College, and Alma College look to climb the standings during the spring season.
T1. Hope College – 32 points (4 first-place votes)
Hope finished the 2025 campaign with a perfect 6-0 record in MIAA play to claim the regular-season title and posted an 11-5 overall record. The Flying Dutchmen return a veteran core highlighted by multiple All-MIAA performers.
Junior attacker/midfielder Gibson Heethuis returns after earning 2025 All-MIAA First Team honors and is now a two-time All-MIAA selection. Senior defender John Foster also became a two-time All-MIAA honoree with First Team recognition in 2025 and received an All-Region Honorable Mention from the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA). Senior midfielder Jackson Early earned 2025 All-MIAA Second Team honors and is now a two-time All-MIAA selection, while senior defender Will Jewell also returns after being named to the Second Team. Senior goalie Jack Balmforth rounds out the group of top returners after earning All-MIAA honors for the second time in his career.
T1. Albion College – 32 points (2 first-place votes)
Albion finished the 2025 season with a 4-2 MIAA record and a 12-9 overall mark before capturing the MIAA Tournament title as the third seed. The tournament championship earned the Brits the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament, where Albion competed in the first round.
Sophomore midfielder Luke Schuemann returns after being named the 2025 MIAA Rookie of the Year and earning All-MIAA Second Team honors. Senior midfielder Cal Stearns, a three-time All-MIAA selection, is back after earning First Team recognition in 2025 and receiving an All-Region Honorable Mention from the IMLCA. Senior long-stick midfielder Logan Bride also returns as a two-time All-MIAA honoree following his First Team selection last season. Senior defender Ben Schollett adds experience to the back line after earning 2025 All-MIAA Second Team honors.
3. Trine University – 27 points (1 first-place vote)
Trine concluded the 2025 campaign with a 2-4 record in conference play and a strong 14-6 overall finish.
Junior defender Mason Levin returns after earning All-MIAA Second Team honors last season. The Thunder also welcome back several key contributors, including junior midfielder JJ Boos, senior midfielder Justin Scheberle, and a veteran goalie duo in junior Luke Arnold and senior Zade Gawrys.
4. Adrian College – 21 points
Adrian finished the 2025 season with a 5-1 MIAA record and an 11-7 overall mark in what proved to be a historic year for the Bulldogs. Head coach Brett Wetzel was named the 2025 MIAA Men’s Lacrosse Coach of the Year after guiding Adrian to its best conference finish in a decade and its first MIAA Tournament appearance since 2015. Wetzel enters his eighth season as head coach.
Senior attacker Austin Selvage returns after earning 2025 First Team All-MIAA honors, while senior midfielder Alec Winegar is back after being named to the Second Team for the second time in his career. Other top returners include sophomore midfielder/forward Nico Palazzolo and junior face-off midfielder Sam Burke.
5. Calvin University – 18 points
Calvin posted a 3-3 MIAA record and finished 6-10 overall in 2025.
The Knights return senior midfielder Braden Carpenter and senior face-off midfielder Nate Hanson, both of whom earned All-MIAA Second Team honors last season. Additional key returners include senior attacker David Blackmon, junior midfielder Jordan Warners, and junior defender Drew Garrison.
6. Kalamazoo College – 11 points
Kalamazoo finished the 2025 campaign with a 1-5 MIAA record and a 6-8 overall mark.
Senior defender and long-stick midfielder Jack Bungart returns after becoming a three-time All-MIAA honoree with a First Team selection in 2025. The Hornets also return junior attacker/midfielder Dylan Adkins, senior midfielder Max Plesscher, and junior goalkeeper Tony Valade as they aim to move up the standings this spring.
7. Alma College – 6 points
Alma completed the 2025 season with a 0-6 conference record and a balanced 7-7 overall mark.
The Scots return a senior-heavy group that includes defender Patrick Hodges, attacker Ayden Hibdon, and goalkeeper Preston Stelljes.
Up Ahead
Conference play begins Wednesday, April 1, with Alma hosting Albion, Trine hosting Calvin, and Kalamazoo hosting Adrian. The MIAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament opens with first-round games on April 25, followed by the semifinals on April 28 and the championship on May 1. The NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament begins on May 6.