In Lacrosse Magazine's Year in Review, the organization named Albright men's lacrosse coach Jake Plunket as its 2012 Small College National Breakout Coach of the Year.

The "small college" group includes NCAA Division II, Division III, and MCLA club lacrosse leagues- a group of 468 programs.

Plunket led one of the most successful first-year programs in NCAA history, as Albright went 16-3 with a team comprised almost entirely of freshmen. The Lions upset Widener in overtime during the regular season and then hosted the Commonwealth Conference championship game, losing to the Pride 7-5.

Plunket's first-ever recruiting class included three All-Commonwealth Conference players, the conference Rookie of the Year, and combined to win four conference Defensive Player of the Week and three Offensive Player of the Week awards. Freshman Philip Potter finished fifth in the nation in assists, and classmate Darian Meador was 27th in the nation in ground balls (neither was the Commonwealth Rookie of the Year, that went to Bryan Smith).

The Small College Coach of the Year award went to Dowling's Tim Boyle, after leading his team to the Division II national championship. Albright defeated Dowling 9-8 in a scrimmage this fall.

Albright was also listed as one of 15 honorable mentions for Breakout Team of the Year, with the award going to Birmingham-Southern, after the squad reached the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time.

Lacrosse Magazine also released its 2013 Preseason Poll, and Albright will be facing both the #1 and #2 ranked teams in the nation this spring- #1 Cortland State (at home) and #2 Stevenson University.

2012 Small College Year in Review