BALTIMORE, Md. – Gettysburg is ranked eighth in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III preseason poll, released on Thursday.

The Bullets open the 2024 in the top 10 after a run to the NCAA tournament third round last season.

The Bullets finished the 2023 season with a 13-5 record, including a 6-2 Centennial Conference (CC) season but dropped a 12-11 heartbreaker at Swarthmore, which is ranked 15th in the USILA preseason poll, in the conference semifinals.
Salisbury, the defending national champion, is the preseason favorite, earning 17 of the 21 first-place votes.

Pete Toner will begin his third season at the helm of the program and has led the Bullets to the NCAA tournament in each of his first two campaigns.

Gettysburg returns three of its record 11 All-CC performers from last year, including first-teamer Frank Barbera (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) – a preseason third-team All-American by USILA.

Barbera and Andy Marquet (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) are back to anchor the defense. Marquet led the team with 25 caused turnovers while Barbera was tops among the defensive unit with 51 ground balls. Marquet added 47. They'll lead the unit in front of senior goalie Chase Morgan (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua), who started all 12 games in which he played last season with a 10.59 goals-against average and .450 save percentage.

Ethan Kessler (Ridgefield, Conn./Millbrook School) and Jack Dunleavy (New Providence, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) are back to lead the attack. Kessler started all 18 games as a rookie and was second on the team with 33 goals and 53 points. Dunleavy was third with 31 goals and 47 points.

The Gettysburg 2024 season includes seven contests against teams also in the preseason top 20. The Bullets travel to No. 1 Salisbury on Feb. 24 and No. 5 Dickinson on Apr. 17 while hosting No. 7 Washington and Lee on Mar. 9.

Gettysburg opens the season at home against No. 9 Lynchburg on Saturday, Feb. 17. Game time is 1 p.m.