Walpole's Izzo in Midfield for UMass Men's Lacrosse

Former Walpole High standout Ryan Izzo is a red-shirt sophomore for the University of Massachusetts Amherst men's lacrosse team.

After missing his freshman year with an ACL injury in the preseason, Izzo, a midfielder, bounced back to score three goals last year.

At Walpole High, Izzo was a standout lacrosse and football player for the Rebels, setting the Massachusetts state scoring record in football with 722 and touchdown record at 101. In his senior lacrosse season, he scored 38 goals and had 16 assists to finish his career with 131 goals and 49 assists for 180-points.

The preseason polls have begun to surface with the Minutemen being ranked No. 12 in the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook Poll. Inside Lacrosse also included the preseason coaches rankings where UMass checks in at No. 9 among the top-20.

Defending NCAA Champion Loyola holds the No. 1 preseason spot according to Inside Lacrosse and the coaches. For the Inside Lacrosse poll, UMass was just behind Colgate which ended the Minutemen’s historic 2012 season in the NCAA First Round last season.

The coaches have UMass ranked No. 9 overall, just behind Denver and ahead of Princeton.

The Minutemen went 15-1 overall in 2012 including a perfect 6-0 mark en route to the CAA Regular-Season Title. With wins over Towson and Drexel in the CAA Championship Tournament, the UMass claimed its first-ever CAA Championship.

UMass opens up its season Jan. 26 at St. John's University in Queens, N.Y.