via press release – photo via Lax Magazine   December 20, 2016 For the second straight year, Boston University men’s lacrosse seniors Cal Dearth and Sam Talkow were named preseason All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse. The duo was instrumental in helping the Terriers secure the first winning season in program history last year. Both players were First Team All-Patriot League selections in 2016, with Talkow also recognized as the conference’s Faceoff Specialist of the Year. Like last season, Dearth and Talkow were honorable mention All-America selections by Inside Lacrosse. Starting all 13 games in which he appeared, Dearth finished 2016 with 15 goals and 13 assists for 28 points, finishing second on the squad in assists and third on the Terriers in both goals and points. He was immense in the Terriers’ historic road win over then-No. 14 Harvard, scoring four goals, including the final three, as part of a six-point night. He enters 2017 as a two-time First Team All-Patriot League honoree. Talkow was terrific all season for BU, finishing third in the NCAA in faceoff percentage (.695) and ninth in the country in ground balls per game (6.62). He added six goals and an assist to his resume, including the tying goal with 47 seconds left in regulation to force overtime in an eventual 10-9 victory over then-No. 16 Navy. In addition to Dearth and Talkow being honored, Inside Lacrosse had the Terriers at No. 24 in its preseason rankings, the highest the Terriers have ever been. BU will face three of the top-10 teams (No. 5 Loyola, No. 8 Duke, No. 9 Navy) and an additional top-20 team in Air Force (No. 18). The Terriers are the highest ranked squad in the Patriot League after Loyola and Navy.