ROSEMONT, IL – The Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse team landed Cole Williams, Joey Epstein and Connor DeSimone on the Big Ten's 2021 List of Players to Watch and the Blue Jays were picked fifth in the league's preseason poll of head coaches it was announced today.  Three players from each of the Big Ten's six teams were named as players to watch.
 
The preseason poll was topped by Maryland, which was followed by Penn State, Ohio State, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins and Michigan.  The 10-game, league-only schedule for all six teams opens on Saturday, February 20.
 
Williams is a two-time Second-Team All-Big Ten selection and counted 11 goals and six assists to his credit in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.  He enters his final season as Johns Hopkins career active leader in goals (79), assists (43) and points (122) and has started all 39 games for the Blue Jays since the start of the 2018 season.
 
The 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Epstein has scored 53 goals and added 30 assists for 83 points in just 21 career games. He became just the sixth Johns Hopkins player to reach 50 career goals in less than 20 games when he reached the mark last season and he had five goals and five assists in five games played a year ago.
 
DeSimone has started 37 of 39 games since arriving at Johns Hopkins in 2018.  He has 24 goals and 18 assists to his credit with a career-high 16 goals as a freshman and a personal-best 13 assists as a sophomore.
 
Johns Hopkins, which is ranked 20^th in this week's USILA Coaches Poll, will host 10^th-ranked Ohio State in the season opener for both teams on Saturday (12 pm).
 
2021 Big Ten Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1 - Maryland
2 - Penn State
3 - Ohio State
4 - Rutgers
5 - Johns Hopkins
6 - Michigan
 

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