Steele Stanwick returns on attack for UVa.

The winter weather in Charlottesville makes it kind of hard to believe, but the Virginia men’s lacrosse team is hard at work preparing for its season opener at Drexel on Feb. 20. The Cavaliers are ranked a preseason No. 3 in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse and Lacrosse Magazine polls. This time last year, Virginia was ranked No. 1, and a heavy favorite to capture a national title.

With several key departures, coach Dom Starsia’s team has some big shoes to fill across the field, and a whole host of young talent is ready to uphold Virginia’s fine lacrosse tradition. “I don’t think anyone gets too excited that we’re No. 3 or No. 4 or No. 2 or whatever it is, and we understand that the things we’re trying to get for ourselves are further down the line,” Starsia said. “We need to take care of our business today and continue to improve so that when the opportunity comes to make a play we’re prepared to do that.”

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