FREELAND, MICH. -- The Trine University men's lacrosse team was picked to finish fourth in the 2018 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Thunder finished with 25 points to place fourth of eight teams. Albion (Mich.) College was selected as the favorite with eight points and six first-place votes. Alma (Mich.) College and Hope (Mich.) College were tabbed in a tie for second with 16 points and each school received a first-place vote.
Last season, Trine finished with a 7-6 overall record and placed fifth in the MIAA with a 3-4 mark.
The Thunder return one All-MIAA player in 2018 in junior Alex Jamieson (Hartland, Wisc./Arrowhead) who ended the year with a team-high 17 caused turnovers, the seventh-most in a season in team history. He added 27 ground balls and chipped in offensively with an assist.
Also back, are the team's top-five scorers, including senior Nick Maher (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt) who led the team in goals (30), assists (13), points (43) and shots (77). Joining him will be sophomore Tyler Klima (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) and juniors Conner Putman (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield), Neil Orr (Lombard, Ill./Montini Catholic) and Eric Peal (Imperial, Mo./Seckman).
Klima finished second behind Maher in goals (20), assists (10) and points (30). Putman, Orr and Peal all scored 17 goals last season with Putman adding nine assists for 26 total points, Orr assisted on eight goals to finish with 25 points and Peal tallied four helpers to end the season with 21 points.
In addition to Jamieson on defense, Trine will return junior Aaron Warner (League City, Texas/Clear Springs) and sophomore Brent Farrugia (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston).
Warner was second on the team in caused turnovers last season with 15 and was also amongst the team leaders in ground balls with 23. Farrugia forced 14 turnovers and led the team in ground balls with 53.
In net, the Thunder return one of its starting goalkeeper duos in sophomore Joseph Steigmeyer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger). Last spring, Steigmeyer played in eight games and started seven. He finished with a 4-3 record with 54 saves (51.4 save percentage) and allowed 7.49 goals per game. His 7.49 gaa. was the best amongst MIAA netminders and his 54 saves were ninth most.
Trine is scheduled to begin the 2018 season on Saturday, Feb. 17 against Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
2018 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
| Place | School (First-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | Albion (6) | 8 |
| 2. | Alma (1) | 16 |
| Hope (1) | 16 | |
| 4. | Trine | 25 |
| 5. | Olivet | 37 |
| 6. | Calvin | 38 |
| 7. | Adrian | 39 |
| 8. | Kalamazoo | 45 |