(Marietta, GA) For a second year the Walton High School’s boys lacrosse program is hosting a series of collegiate men’s lacrosse match ups at Walton’s Raider Valley. This year, the 3-game series brings in five different Division II and III programs for games to be played in both February and March. The first in the series is being co-hosted by LB3 lacrosse and kicks off on Saturday, February 7 at 1 PM with University of Tampa facing off against Queens University of Charlotte. Both teams are ranked in the NCAA Division II preseason top 10 by Lacrosse Magazine. “I am excited for Walton to again host men’s collegiate games, starting with this battle of Division II titans,” says Walton boys lacrosse Head Coach Griffin Spotz. “Both teams are looking to make a run at a title and have incredible talent returning. This is a fantastic opportunity for area kids to see just how competitive the level of play is at D2 and D3.” Indeed both teams in the first match up are projected to do well this spring. The Spartans of Tampa are coming off of a NCAA Division II final four appearance and are favored to win the Sunshine State Conference in 2015. They feature All-American attackman Connor Whipple. Whipple, a sophomore, had 43 goals and 35 assists in the 2014 campaign. His father, Rory, is the all-time winningest coach in Division II lacrosse and is in his fourth year at the helm of the Spartans. The Queens University Royals, are projected to win the South Atlantic Conference. The team made the NCAA tournament in 2014 before bowing out to the eventual national champions. The Royals are privileged to play in front of All-American goalie, Eric Dolan. Dolan, out of St. Mark’s School in Hopkinton, MA, played a pivotal role in the team’s 2014 run with a save percentage that was ranked 11th in the nation. Coach Jim Fritz, a top-10 active coach in Division II in both overall wins and winning percentage, is beginning his 12th year leading the program. On the heels of the February game day, Walton and LB3 will host Young Harris College vs. Lynn College on March 15 and then Mars Hill College vs. University of Tampa on March 22. Both of these Sunday games take place in Raider Valley at Walton High School and both start at 1 PM. “Bringing games like these to our community is one of many ways the game of lacrosse is further spread in the Atlanta area and throughout the Southeast,” explains Spotz. “This is an exciting time for the youth and high school programs in the metro Atlanta area as interest and expansion of the sport continues to rise.” In addition to hosting these collegiate teams, Spotz and the Walton boys program are readying themselves for a competitive spring season which kicks off at home February 16. The Raiders finished the 2014 season ranked #6 in Georgia high school 6A and in the top 6% in the nation according to the season ending Lax Power coaches/computer poll. Spotz, who played collegiately at the University of Illinois, begins his third year as head coach and has guided the Raiders to the GHSA Elite Eight and Final Four in the last two seasons respectively. Spotz is also the founder and coach of the school’s affiliated summer travel program, Dirty Birds. The Dirty Birds program focuses on player’s skill and character development within an elite-level competitive environment.