March 4, 2013

COLUMBUS, Ohio -The Ohio State men's lacrosse team moved up in both national polls after winning on the road at then-No. 8 Penn State Saturday. The squad is up from No. 13 to No. 8 in the Nike Lacrosse/Inside Lacrosse media poll, while it moved from No. 16 to No. 11 in the USILA coaches poll.

The Buckeyes open their ECAC schedule against Denver (4-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The Pioneers are ranked seventh in both polls this week. Ohio State is 4-0 on the year, the second time in program history the squad has opened the year with wins in its first four games and the first time since 1966.

The No. 8 ranking marks the first time the Buckeyes have been in the Top 10 of the Inside Lacrosse poll since they entered the Great Western Lacrosse League tournament in early May 2008 at No. 10. The team's highest ranking in the IL poll was No. 6 late in the 2004 campaign.

Six opponents on Ohio State’s regular-season schedule are also ranked (IL/USILA): Loyola (4/4), Notre Dame (2/2), Denver (7/7), Virginia (9/8), Penn State (12/13) and Fairfield (19/17). Ohio State’s preseason slate included ranked teams in Johns Hopkins (6/6) and Syracuse (10/12) in the spring and North Carolina (11/t-9) and Lehigh (17/17) in the fall. ECAC memeer Bellarmineis receiving votes in both polls.

Ohio State is in a stretch of four-consecutive games vs. ranked opponents (in an 18-day span). After beating then-No. 8/8 Penn State last Saturday, the squad will take on No. 7/7 Denver Saturday, No. 9/8 Virginia March 16 and No. 2/2 Notre Dame March 20. Three of the four games will be on the road, with the Pioneers coming to Columbus.

Complete Rankings: Inside Lacrosse | USILA