Conner Dejen is one of four players named to the 2009 Preseason All-America squad. Denison will open their season on Feb. 21 against Trine.

With the 2009 men's lacrosse season just five weeks away the preseason rankings and awards are starting to roll in.

Following their 14-3 season in 2008 the Denison Big Red are getting plenty of national attention as the 2009 season approaches.  In their annual Face-Off Yearbook, Inside Lacrosse Magazine has the Big Red ranked 19th in their NCAA Division III preseason top-20 poll. Last year Denison boasted the nation's top-ranked defense and set a new school record for goals scored with 255. The Big Red went 5-0 in North Coast Athletic Conference play and locked up their 10th conference title in school history.

In the annual Preseason All-America listing provided by Face-Off Yearbook, Denison landed four players on the list featuring the top returning players of 2009.  Senior midfielder Dan Maude (Wayne, Pa./Haverford School), a 2008 Division III All-American, is a second-team Preseason All-American along with face-off specialist Connor Detjen (Winnetika, Ill./Loyola Academy).  Maude has scored 74 goals in his career and was second on the team in 2008 with 32 tallies.  Detjen posted a .671 face-off percentage which ranked him seventh in the nation.

Honorable mention Preseason All-American honors would go to attack Brady Burton (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome) and defensman Jimmy Minor (Washington, Pa./Trinity).  Burton finished 12th nationally in goals per game and in just two seasons he has racked up 99 career goals.  Minor, a three-year starter, is a two-time All-NCAC first-team selection.  He was a major part of Denison's 2008 defense which held opponents to just 5.35 goals per game.

In other preseason lacrosse publications, Denison is ranked 15th by Lacrosse Magazine and 15th by LAXNews.  The Big Red will open their 2009 campaign on Saturday (Feb. 21) at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium against Trine University at 1 p.m.