South Carolina, St. Thomas Top MCLA Division I, Division II Coaches Polls

ATLANTA — After grabbing its second consecutive Division I national championship last spring, South Carolina is the heavy favorite in 2023, according to the New Balance Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Gamecocks (17-3), which also won the SELC tournament in 2022, gobbled up 24 of a possible 26 first-place votes to coast to the top spot. South Carolina was followed by Georgia Tech (16-4). The Yellow Jackets fell to the Gamecocks in both the conference and national title games. They accounted for the remaining pair of first-place votes.

Brigham Young (17-3) is slotted third. The Cougars advanced to the national semifinals before falling to South Carolina. Virginia Tech (15-2), which held the top spot in the weekly polls for much of last season, checks in at No. 4, while the Hokies’ ALC rival Clemson (15-5) rounds out the top five.

Both the SELC and ALC posted three teams apiece in the Top 10 while the SLC had four representatives in the Top 15. Last year’s Division II champion Utah resides just outside the Top 25 in its first season back on the senior circuit.

NEW BALANCE MCLA
DIVISION I COACHES POLL

Others receiving votes: Utah (19), Boise State (18), Michigan State (15), New Hampshire (13), NC State (11), Auburn (9), Georgia (9), Oregon (6), Texas A&M (6), Dominican (5), Florida State (4), Simon Fraser (2), Stanford (2).

After advancing to the MCLA Division II national semifinals for the 13th straight time last spring, St. Thomas has been tabbed the favorite to win its seventh title in 2023, according to the New Balance Preseason Division II Coaches Poll.

The Tommies (15-4) lost to the eventual D-II champion Utah in the semifinals of the 2022 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance, but with the Utes matriculating to MCLA Division I this spring, St. Thomas gets the nod.

Rhode Island (12-3) actually recorded more first-place votes in the poll — 15 compared to 11 — but were edged out in total points by four. The Rams fell to Utah 13-7 in the finals in URI’s first-ever visit to nationals.

Sitting in the third spot 63 points behind Rhode Island is Montana (16-6), which also advanced to the national semifinals before falling to the Rams, 15-7.

Grand Valley State (10-4), which was the runner-up in the powerful UMLC behind St. Thomas, checks in at No. 4 in the preseason poll. The Lakers have qualified for nationals 11 straight times, including last year, when they bowed to the Utes in the quarterfinals. Missouri State (11-7) rounds out the top five in the poll.

The UMLC had six representatives in the Top 25, easily leading the field. Five conferences — ALC, PNCLL, SELC, SLC and the RMLC — were all tied for second most honorees with three apiece. The CLC had a pair of reps while the WCLL and LSA had one each.

NEW BALANCE MCLA
DIVISION II COACHES POLL

Others receiving votes: Denver (49), Miami (43), Loyola Marymount (23), MSU Denver (16), Tulane (15), Maine (12), San Diego (11), Drury (9), Claremont (4), Baylor (4), Charleston (3), Washington-Mo. (3), Chico State (3), UMass-Dartmouth (3), Saint Mary’s (3), Texas A&M D-II (2), UNC-Wilmington (2), Long Beach State (1), Rice (1).