A final four team last year, the Irish were voted No. 1 in the Big East preseason poll, receiving 35 points. Notre Dame goalie John Kemp was named the conference’s Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Kemp dominated in goal last season, allowing only 6.27 goals per game

2. Syracuse 9-8, 3-3 Big East

Captained by Derek Maltz, JoJo Marasco, Steve Ianzito and Brian Megill, the Orange is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2012 season. Syracuse will look to build off of last year’s Big East tournament run, in which they knocked off Villanova and St. John’s en route to a championship.

3. St. John’s 8-7, 3-3 Big East

St. John’s preseason ranking is the highest in school history. Junior attack Kieran McArdle was named the Big East Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The senior attack has 49 goals and 50 assists in his career, and is the only member of the 40-goal, 40-assist club in the Red Storm’s history.

4. Villanova 8-7, 4-2 Big East

Villanova struggled in second halves last season, getting outscored 85-70. All-Big East Preseason team selections Thomas Croonquist, John LoCascio and Jack Rice will carry the Wildcats, who will look to improve upon last year’s campaign with a more experienced group of key players.

5. Georgetown 7-6, 3-3 Big East

Senior defender Chris Nourse, who finished third in the Big East in caused turnovers per game (1.62), anchors the Hoya defense. Georgetown’s defense allowed only 17 goals (.298) on man-down situations in 2012. The Hoyas won 52 percent of their faceoffs last season, and will look to continue that trend this year.

6. Rutgers 6-9, 1-5 Big East

The Scarlet Knights face five teams that made the 2012 NCAA Tournament, so they’ll be in for a stiff challenge in head coach Brian Brecht’s second season. Rutgers will look to move forward without Will Mangan, the 2012 Big East Midfielder of the Year. Mangan scored 30 goals and added 10 assists last season.

7. Providence 2-12, 1-5 Big East

The Friars struggled to find the back of the net last season, scoring just 7.36 goals per game. They totaled only 55 assists and shot just 29 percent. This year, they’ll look for junior Andrew Barton to build off of a successful 2012 campaign, in which he led the team in scoring with 31 points.

— Compiled by Trevor Hass, asst. copy editor, tbhass@syr.edu

Published on February 14, 2013 at 2:42 am