Penn State men’s lacrosse, welcome back to the top.

The Nittany Lions are the No. 1 team in the country after receiving 14 first-place votes in this week’s Inside Lacrosse poll and 12 in the USILA Coaches’ Poll after their excellent 6-1 start to the 2019 season. Head coach Jeff Tambroni’s squad entered last weekend as the sixth-ranked team in the nation, but big victories over Cornell over Jacksonville vaulted it to the top of the rankings.

Penn State’s elite attack has powered it to the top of both major polls this season. It leads the nation with an average of 18.86 goals per game, and star frontman Mac O’Keefe currently holds the national lead with 31 goals through seven games played. Getting junior Grant Ament back in the fold hasn’t hurt, either — he has 10 goals and tops the country in assists with 46.

This is the first time Penn State has topped the polls since the 2017 season. The Nittany Lions were upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament that season, but it’s hard to imagine this year’s team having that same ending.

Penn State is idle this week, so its next game will take place on the road against Cleveland State at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 23.