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Charlotte, N.C.----The fourth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs will take part in the premiere lacrosse event of the Carolinas this weekend, making the short trip to Charlotte to take on seventh-ranked Limestone in the Crown Classic at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's Crown Classic features four games with premiere teams from NCAA Division I and Division II men's and women's lacrosse.

"We were honored to be asked to be a part of the Crown Classic," Wingate head coach Tim Boyle says. "It has become the premier lacrosse event in the region over the last few years. It is a great opportunity for our boys and the program to be included in such a great event."

"It's a great opportunity to play in an event like the Crown Classic," Wingate All-American Bobby Padden says. "It is not often we get to do something like this. It should be a great game playing a conference opponent like Limestone."

ABOUT THE CROWN CLASSIC

- The Crown Classic started in 2019, taking place at the Matthews SportsPlex
- That Classic featured Penn State, Cornell, Towson and Jacksonville
- This year's event will take place at the recently renovated American Legion Memorial Stadium
- Saturday gets started with a top-15 Division II women's game when #3 Queens faces #13 Tampa
- The Division I women's contests at 1:30 p.m. sees Winthrop take on Davidson
- At 4 p.m. Penn State will take on Pennsylvania
- The fourth-ranked Bulldogs close out the event by facing #7 Limestone at 6:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS

- Wingate is coming off an appearance in the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2021
- The Bulldogs have been ranked in every USILA Top 20 poll over the last two seasons
- The 'Dogs ranked in the top five nationally in goals, assists, points and scoring margin last year
- Wingate climbed as high as number two earlier this season
- This will already be Wingate's third top-20 opponent this season
- The 'Dogs took down #4 Mercyhurst at home
- Wingate dropped a contest to top-ranked and defending national champion LeMoyne in Baltimore
- The Bulldogs took down #17 Mount Olive 15-8 earlier this week
- The 'Dogs have four All-Americans back from last year's Final Four squad
- The attack trio of Willie Grieco, Padden and Adam Vodovnik each earned All-American recognition in 2021
- Midfielder Danny Riley was also a consensus All-American last year
- Grieco was the nation's leader with 64 assists last year, adding 28 goals for a nation's-best 92 points
- He already has 16 goals and 14 assists, notching at least seven points in every game
- Vodovnik led the nation with 61 goals last season, adding 14 points
- He has 14 games and two assists this season, scoring four goals in each of the first three games
- Padden piled up 45 goals and 28 assists last year
- He has nine goals and 11 assists this year, piling up 15 points his first two games
- Riley registered 33 goals and 10 assists from the midfield position last year, adding 16 ground balls
- He has seven goals, two assists and 16 ground balls this year
- Daman Lingasin has five goals on the year, with John Natoli adding four goals
- Peyton Farley and Mike DiLegge lead the 'Dogs with seven caused turnovers apiece
- Donovan Jones has won a team-best 26 face-offs
- John Caponi has 22 saves and an 8.07 goals-against average
- KC Carlson has registered 23 saves on the season

WINGATE-LIMESTONE SERIES

- The Saints have been a Division II men's lacrosse powerhouse the last two decades
- Limestone has won four national titles since 2002
- The Saints have also finished as the national runner-up six times over the last 20 years
- Limestone won titles in 2014, 2015 and 2017, while also playing in the 2016 and 2019 title games
- The Saints lead the all-time series 24-4, but Wingate has won the last two
- The 'Dogs downed Limestone twice last season
- Wingate went to Limestone last February and rolled to a 12-3 victory over the fifth-ranked Saints
- Vodovnik had six goals, Riley added four goals while Grieco handed out five assists
- The teams met again in the SAC Tourney semifinals, with WU racing out to a 9-2 lead en route to a 14-10 win
- Vodovnik netted four more goals, with Grieco notching three goals and five assists and Padden adding three goals and an assist
- The Saints are 4-0 on the year, climbing to seventh in the most recent USILA top 20 poll
- Limestone has a 20-9 win over #11 Belmont Abbey and a 13-8 victory over #10 Lindenwood
- The Saints also picked up a 12-11 win over Florida Southern, and defeated Saint Leo 17-7
- Wingate and Limestone are the two highest ranked teams in the SAC at this point
- The SAC has four schools in the top 12, with Lenoir-Rhyne ranked 10th and Queens checking in at #12
- Newberry, Tusculum and Anderson are all receiving votes