The MCLA preseason polls have been released, and the top two teams from a season ago now sit tied atop the standings in the MCLA Division I Preseason Poll. The MCLA Division II Preseason Poll features North Dakota State University leading the pack. The race for Salt Lake is on! Check out the releases for the MCLA preseason polls below.
Division I
They met in the Division I title game of the 2019 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour and now Michigan State and Chapman are tied for first in the Under Armour Preseason Division I Coaches Poll.
Michigan State, which defeated Chapman for the crown, 10-8, received 12 first place votes while Chapman grabbed the other nine.
Brigham Young and South Carolina, the two other semifinalists from 2018, were ranked third and fourth, respectively. Virginia Tech rounds out the Top 5.
The SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC) enters the season as the association’s power conference with four teams in the top 10 and seven altogether. The Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC) had four teams in the Top 25.
2019 MCLA Division I Under Armour Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank Team Points 1st votes
1t. Michigan State 513 12
1t. Chapman 513 9
3. Brigham Young 460
4. South Carolina 451
5. Virginia Tech 419
6. Liberty 405
7. Colorado 399
8. California 385
9. Grand Canyon 382
10. Georgia Tech 308
11. Concordia-Irvine 295
12. Boston College 281
13. Arizona State 264
14. Florida State 222
15. Georgia 165
16. Oregon 153
17. UC Santa Barbara 144
18. New Hampshire 131
19. Northeastern 124
20. Clemson 122
21. Texas A&M 112
22. Davenport 110
23. Minnesota 88
24. Simon Fraser 70
25. Cal Poly 69
Others receiving votes: Colorado State (62), Florida (44), Connecticut (40), Indiana (33), Arizona (21), Santa Clara (9), Oklahoma (9), USC (9), Texas (5), UNLV (2), Oregon State (2), Texas Christian (1), Missouri (1), Washington (1), Utah Valley (1).
Division II
Fresh off its first title at the 2018 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour, North Dakota State has been installed as the top team in the 2019 Under Armour MCLA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Bison grabbed 14 first place votes to push it clear of No. 2 St. Thomas, which had two first place votes. NDSU and the Tommies met for the title last May with the Bison walking away winners in double overtime.
As has become the case of late, the Upper Midwest Lacrosse Conference (UMLC) dominates the charts. UMLC power programs Minn.-Duluth, Grand Valley State and St. John’s round out the Top 5.
No. 9 Dayton gives the UMLC six teams in the Top 10.
2019 MCLA Division II Under Armour Preseason Coaches Poll
RANK TEAM POINTS 1st VOTES
1. North Dakota State 396 14
2. St. Thomas 380 2
3. Minn.-Duluth 373
4. Grand Valley State 346
5. St. John’s 338
6. Montana State 314
7. Florida Gulf Coast 302
8. Kennesaw State 285
9. Dayton 264
10. Cal State San Marcos 247
11. Montana 234
12. Northern Arizona 211
13. Missouri State 198
14. UC Davis 194
15. College of Idaho 193
16. Central Conn. State 161
17. Wake Forest 119
18. UC San Diego 110
19. San Diego 98
20. North Florida 91
21. UC Santa Cruz 76
22. Colorado Denver 73
23. Bridgewater State 58
24. MSU Denver 16
25. Rhode Island 13
Others receiving votes: Providence (12), New Haven (12), Gonzaga (12), Appalachian State (11), Baylor (10), Utah State (9), Louisiana (8), Florida Atlantic (7), Louisiana Tech (6), UNC-Charlotte (4), Western Washington (4), Western Oregon (4), Portland (3), Loyola Marymount (3), Saint Mary’s (2), Charleston (2), Fort Lewis (1).