Preseason

Duke's Kyle Singler was the leading vote-getter and only repeat selection for the Associated Press preseason men's basketball All-America team announced Monday, while North Carolina's Harrison Barnes became the first freshman to make the list since voting began in 1986. Joining Singler (62 votes) and Barnes (17) on the team were Kansas State's Jacob Pullen (53), BYU's Jimmer Fredette (49) and Purdue's JaJuan Johnson (46). •Michigan State guard Korie Lucious , who pleaded guilty in September to misdemeanor reckless driving, was suspended by coach Tom Izzo for next week's regular-season opener against Eastern Michigan as well as Tuesday night's preseason game with Saginaw Valley State.

On the heels of Johns Hopkins announcing that junior midfielder John Greeley will miss the remainder of the season due to a left knee injury, Maryland said Wednesday morning that senior midfielder Jake Bernhardt will not play this year and will apply for a medical redshirt. Bernhardt, who registered 15 goals and three assists as a member of the first line in 2011, injured his left shoulder in a scrimmage at Loyola on Feb. 4 and underwent surgery. He had returned to practice on a limited basis last month, but coach John Tillman announced that Bernhardt would not suit up for the Terps.

Team (record)/Last season's rank 1. Northwestern (21-2)/1 2. Maryland (21-2)/2 3. Florida (16-4)/5 4. Duke (15-5)/4 5. North Carolina (15-6)/3 6. Princeton (12-7)/9 (tie) 7. (tie) Loyola (17-3)/6 7. (tie) Penn (11-6)/9 (tie) 9. Dartmouth (11-5)/13 10. Boston College (12-7)/12 11. Virginia (9-9)/15 12. Syracuse (10-8)/16 13. Georgetown (9-8)/18 14. James Madison (15-4)/11 15. Harvard (10-6)/NR 16. Albany (18-1)

After missing the Patriot League tournament for the first time since joining the league for the 2004 season, Navy's mission was simple and straightforward: begin a new tradition of qualifying for the tournament. The Midshipmen are one win away from accomplishing that goal. With a win over longtime rival and No. 17 Army on Saturday, No. 20 Navy (5-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference) will ensure itself of finishing in the top four and earning a spot in the tournament. It's a prize that the players are fully aware of, coach Rick Sowell said.

Shannon Ryan's Preseason Top 25 1. Kansas: Every top player from last season's Sweet 16 returns for coach Bill Self. 2. Michigan State: Three starters are back from last season's national runner-up team. 3. Texas: With this much depth, the Longhorns can expect to be in the Final Four. 4. Kentucky: Coach John Calipari is playing with the big boys now in the Bluegrass State. 5: North Carolina: Huge losses? So what? North Carolina just reloads.

It's time for the games to begin. The Orioles open the exhibition season on Wednesday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays in what will be the O's' Grapefruit League debut as the permanent spring resident at Ed Smith Stadium. "Everybody is anxious to get the spring training games under way," said manager Dave Trembley. Jeremy Guthrie will take the mound for the O's against Tampa Bay's James Shields. Newly signed left-hander Will Ohman and right-hander Matt Albers also are scheduled to pitch for the Orioles, along with several other unannounced relievers.

The Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches (MSABC) has named its preseason all-state baseball team. A banquet honoring the pre-season All-State team as well as the coaches of the year will be held Febr. 18 at Camden Yards.  For more information visit the MSABC's website at www.marylandbaseball.org . The 2012 Preseason All-Star Baseball Team Cody Acker, sr.  - Blake 1B Cody Brittain, sr. - North Harford P Brandon Cavil, sr. - Severna Park C Austin Clark, sr.  - Spalding P Jamal Clarke, sr.  - Spalding OF Canaan Cropper, jr. - JM Bennett P Michael Flack, sr.  - Whitman SS Nick Freeburger, sr.  - Spalding 1B Joe Kotler, sr. - Severn School P Lee Lawler, sr.  - Reservoir P Lee Lipinski, sr. - Calvert Hall 1B Andrew Massey, sr.  - Liberty P Sean Miller, sr.  - Spalding P Scott Mitchell, jr. - South River P Kevin Mooney, sr. - North Harford P Nick Moylan, sr. - DeMatha Catholic P Alex Murphy, jr. - Calvert Hall C Connor Oliver, sr. - DeMatha Catholic P Brandon O'Malley, sr.  -  Northeast P Alex Pastorius, sr. - Calvert Hall OF Travis Phelps, sr. - Thomas Johnson P Zach Piazza, jr.  - Huntingtown SS Bill Plante, sr. - Quince Orchard C Ryan Ripken, sr.  - Gilman 1B Bobby Schultz, sr. - St. Michael's- P Bryan Smith, sr.  - Frederick P Sean Stephenson, sr. - DeMatha Catholic...

A recap of the Ravens' 24-3 loss at the Washington Redskins on Saturday: Thumbs up Chris Redman quarterbacked the Ravens into Washington territory four times in the second half, but he failed to produce a point. ... Rookie quarterback Kyle Boller was 7-for-7 for 59 yards in his last - and only productive - drive. ... Former Morgan State receiver Marc Lester had the Ravens' lone catch over 15 yards, pulling down a 36-yard reception. ... Right tackle Orlando Brown played in his first game in three years.

College lacrosse Virginia men ranked preseason No. 1 The Virginia men's lacrosse team was picked by Lacrosse Magazine to repeat as NCAA champion, as was the Northwestern women's team. Three area Division I men's teams are ranked in the magazine's preseason Top 20: No. 3 Johns Hopkins, No. 7 Maryland and No. 19 Loyola. On the women's side, Maryland is ranked second in Division I and Loyola is 10th. Cornell senior attackman Rob Pannell was chosen as Division I men's preseason Player of the Year, and Northwestern senior midfielder-attacker Shannon Smith took the top women's honors.

Al Saunders has a saying about preseason contests. "The games don't count, but they matter," the Ravens senior offensive assistant has said on more than one occasion. That statement resonated with defensive tackle Lamar Divens. "I think Coach Saunders said it best," Divens said. "All of them matter to me. They're pretty big. " The significance of Thursday night's game at the St. Louis Rams — the final one of the preseason — looms large for several Ravens players who are not assured of a spot on the 53-man active roster.

The Ravens' 2012 regular-season schedule won't be released until later this month, but the team's preseason slate is now set. They'll face the Detroit Lions and the Jacksonville Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium, and play road preseason games against the Atlanta Falcons andSt. Louis Rams. The Ravens open preseason play at Atlanta on Thursday, Aug. 9, and conclude it on Thursday, Aug. 30 in St. Louis. Their preseason home opener against the Lions, which will serve as a homecoming for Detroit coach Jim Schwartz, who is a Mount St. Joseph alum, will take place on Friday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on FOX. Jacksonville will visit M&T Bank Stadium for the third preseason game on Thursday, Aug. 23. Only the Lions' game has a set time as of now because it will be nationally televised.

Each week, The Baltimore Sun will publish a Q&A with an area college lacrosse player to get you more acquainted with the player and his/her team. Today's guest is Loyola senior Ana Heneberry , the Big East Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. A Dulaney graduate who followed her sister Mary to Loyola, Heneberry has played every game since her freshman year and is one of the team leaders in caused turnovers and ground balls. Have you always played defense? Not really.

Nine-time reigning national champion Salisbury is off to a 2-0 start, which includes a 16-9 victory over No. 11 Lynchburg. But the degree of difficulty will ratchet up at least a level (or three) when No. 2 Roanoke visits Sea Gull Stadium in Salisbury on Saturday. The meeting between the top two teams in the preseason poll released by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is a prime opportunity for the Sea Gulls to assess their progress thus far. “Our guys are always amped up to play the best teams on our schedule,” Salisbury coach Jim Berkman said.

Officials at 1st Mariner Arena are close to finalizing a deal with the Washington Capitals to host an NHL preseason game for the second straight year. The second annual Baltimore Hockey Classic will be held Sept. 27. An announced sellout crowd of 11,082 packed the Arena last September for the first professional ice hockey game in Baltimore since 1997. The Capitals lost, 2-0, to the Nashville Predators. Despite issues with the ice surface during the game, the Capitals will return to the Baltimore market.

Team (record)/Last season's rank 1. Northwestern (21-2)/1 2. Maryland (21-2)/2 3. Florida (16-4)/5 4. Duke (15-5)/4 5. North Carolina (15-6)/3 6. Princeton (12-7)/9 (tie) 7. (tie) Loyola (17-3)/6 7. (tie) Penn (11-6)/9 (tie) 9. Dartmouth (11-5)/13 10. Boston College (12-7)/12 11. Virginia (9-9)/15 12. Syracuse (10-8)/16 13. Georgetown (9-8)/18 14. James Madison (15-4)/11 15. Harvard (10-6)/NR 16. Albany (18-1)

The Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches (MSABC) has named its preseason all-state baseball team. A banquet honoring the pre-season All-State team as well as the coaches of the year will be held Febr. 18 at Camden Yards.  For more information visit the MSABC's website at www.marylandbaseball.org . The 2012 Preseason All-Star Baseball Team Cody Acker, sr.  - Blake 1B Cody Brittain, sr. - North Harford P Brandon Cavil, sr. - Severna Park C Austin Clark, sr.  - Spalding P Jamal Clarke, sr.  - Spalding OF Canaan Cropper, jr. - JM Bennett P Michael Flack, sr.  - Whitman SS Nick Freeburger, sr.  - Spalding 1B Joe Kotler, sr. - Severn School P Lee Lawler, sr.  - Reservoir P Lee Lipinski, sr. - Calvert Hall 1B Andrew Massey, sr.  - Liberty P Sean Miller, sr.  - Spalding P Scott Mitchell, jr. - South River P Kevin Mooney, sr. - North Harford P Nick Moylan, sr. - DeMatha Catholic P Alex Murphy, jr. - Calvert Hall C Connor Oliver, sr. - DeMatha Catholic P Brandon O'Malley, sr.  -  Northeast P Alex Pastorius, sr. - Calvert Hall OF Travis Phelps, sr. - Thomas Johnson P Zach Piazza, jr.  - Huntingtown SS Bill Plante, sr. - Quince Orchard C Ryan Ripken, sr.  - Gilman 1B Bobby Schultz, sr. - St. Michael's- P Bryan Smith, sr.  - Frederick P Sean Stephenson, sr. - DeMatha Catholic...

Wizards Arenas suffers strained groin in preseason loss to Bucks Gilbert Arenas made his return to the Verizon Center court, and it wasn't a long one. Two nights after he conceded that he faked a left knee injury, Arenas played just three minutes before exiting the Washington Wizards' 96-88 preseason loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night with strained right groin. Arenas didn't attempt a shot, but had three steals, a rebound, an assist and a blocked shot in his first home game since being suspended for bringing guns to the locker room.

College lacrosse Virginia men ranked preseason No. 1 The Virginia men's lacrosse team was picked by Lacrosse Magazine to repeat as NCAA champion, as was the Northwestern women's team. Three area Division I men's teams are ranked in the magazine's preseason Top 20: No. 3 Johns Hopkins, No. 7 Maryland and No. 19 Loyola. On the women's side, Maryland is ranked second in Division I and Loyola is 10th. Cornell senior attackman Rob Pannell was chosen as Division I men's preseason Player of the Year, and Northwestern senior midfielder-attacker Shannon Smith took the top women's honors.

If you ask John Harbaugh, it's a little early to fully evaluate the series of front-office decisions that reconfigured the Ravens roster and put the team in excellent position to earn a high seed for the coming postseason. True enough, there are five regular-season games left and the Ravens have taught us not to take teams like the Cleveland Browns for granted, but there can be no denying that the they are one of the top teams in the AFC once again — and they are far better positioned for the long term than they were a year ago. That's no small thing when you look back on the 2010 season.