PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Delaware men’s lacrosse team, coming off the greatest season in school history in 2007, will look to keep that momentum going as the Blue Hens open the 2008 campaign Saturday with a 1 p.m. matchup with host Saint Joseph’s University at Finnesy Field.

The Blue Hens, led by 30th-year head coach Bob Shillinglaw (at right), who enters the season as one of the nation’s all-time winningest coaches with 264 victories, were ranked No. 14 in the pre-season United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Top 25 poll announced last week and were picked No. 3 in the pre-season Colonial Athletic Association Coaches’ Poll.

The Delaware vs. Saint Joseph’s game annually kicks off the men’s lacrosse season and is one of just four games in the nation Saturday. Second-ranked and 2007 national runner-up Duke hosts 2007 NCAA Division III champion Salisbury, No. 12 Navy hosts VMI, and Robert Morris takes on Seton Hill. The Blue Hens have dominated the series with Saint Joseph’s, winning each of the previous seven meetings, including posting a 23-6 win last year in Newark.

The Blue Hens, who return five starters and 27 letterwinners from last year’s squad, went 13-6 a year ago and placed third in the CAA regular season in 2007 before defeating Drexel in the semifinals and Towson in the finals to capture the league crown and automatic NCAA berth. Delaware then knocked off defending champion Virginia in the NCAA first round before downing UMBC in the quarterfinals and falling to eventual champion Johns Hopkins in the national semifinals.

Delaware will be counting on CAA All-Rookie team honoree sophomore Curtis Dickson, who scored 21 goals and passed out 7 assists last season. The Blue Hens will also welcome back three-time All-CAA attackman senior Cam Howard, who missed all but two games last season with an injury, and rugged attackman Vincent Giordano. Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Tom Scherr, senior defender Evan Crowther-Washburn, and two of the nation’s top defensive midfielders in Brett Manney and Drew Turner also return to anchor a solid defense which allowed just over eight goals a game in 2007.

Saint Joseph’s will be trying to have a winning MAAC record for the third straight season under head coach Pat Cullinan after going 5-3 in league play and 6-12 overall a year ago. Saint Joseph's is tabbed to finish fourth in the MAAC season with Siena was tabbed as the favorites. Leading the Hawks are senior tri-captains Steve O'Brien, Pat Maxey, and Steve Varga. SJU returns seven of its top nine scorers from last season as well as its standout goalkeeper, junior Erik Hotaling.

AGATE:

2008 University of Delaware Men’s Lacrosse Schedule:

February 9, at Saint Joseph’s, 1 p.m.; 16 , vs. UMBC (Neptune, FL), 12 noon; 23, Marist, 1 p.m.

March 1, at Rutgers, 1 p.m.; 8, Albany, 1 p.m.; 12, at Georgetown, 3:30 p.m.; 15, Stony Brook, 5 p.m.; 22, *Villanova, 7 p.m.; 25, at Lehigh, 7 p.m.; 29, Brown, 1 p.m.

April 5, at *Towson, 12 noon; 9, *Drexel, 7 p.m.; 12, at *Hofstra, 1 p.m.; 19, *Robert Morris, 1 p.m.; 26, at *Sacred Heart, 1 p.m.; 30-3, Colonial Athletic Association Semifinals at Higher Seed

May 3, Colonial Athletic Association Finals at Higher Seed; 10-11, NCAA 1st Round; 17-18, NCAA Quarterfinals at Cornell & Navy; 24-26, NCAA Final Four at Gilette Stadium, Foxboro, MA