via the MCLA press releases, by Jac Coyne

D-I Poll: Exam Time for Gators

ATLANTA – For the third straight week, Florida is atop the MCLA Division I New Balance Weekly Coaches Poll, but the Gators will get a stiff test this weekend to remain at No. 1.

Florida (12-1), which grabbed 23 of the 27 first-place votes, will have to clash with No. 5 Georgia Tech (11-3) on Saturday afternoon in the SELC tournament at the Bolles School in Jacksonville.

If the Gators survive that contest, they will have either No. 3 Georgia (12-1) or No. 14 – and two-time defending national champion – South Carolina (7-8) awaiting them in the conference finals on Sunday.

Virginia Tech (12-2) remains at No. 2 after dismantling NC State to finish the regular season and has a bye into the ALC semifinals at Lynchburg City Stadium on April 29.

The Hokies have three first-place votes and appear to be on a collision course with No. 4 Liberty (12-2) for the ALC championship. The Flames grabbed the remaining top vote.

Chapman (13-2) continues its climb up the charts, moving into sixth this week after routing a pair of former Top 15 teams over the weekend.

Simon Fraser (8-0), the only undefeated team left in MCLA Division I, finally cracked the Top 10 this week and will look to finish a perfect regular season when the Red Leafs host No. 23 Boise State in British Columbia on Friday night.

There were no new additions to the poll this week.

New Balance Division I Coaches Poll – Week 9

RANK TEAM POINTS 1st VOTES
1. Florida 664 23
2. Virginia Tech 632 3
3. Georgia 617
4. Liberty 605 1
5. Georgia Tech 557
6. Chapman 555
7. Utah Valley 486
8. Concordia 478
9. Boston College 462
10. Simon Fraser 431
11. Northeastern 393
12. San Diego State 378
13. Brigham Young 347
14. South Carolina 315
15. Florida State 287
16. Colorado 221
17. Cal Poly 209
18. Arizona 200
19. Texas 185
20. UC Santa Barbara 158
21. California 155
22. Arizona State 126
23. Boise State 95
24. Oregon 69
25. LSU 39

Receiving votes: Auburn (35), Colorado State (27), Texas Christian (18), Missouri (11), Southern Methodist (9), West Virginia (7), New Hampshire (2), Santa Clara (1), Sonoma State (1).

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D-II Poll: Ram Redundancy

ATLANTA – For the seventh consecutive week, it’s Rhode Island atop the MCLA Division II New Balance Weekly Coaches Poll that was released on April 19.

The Rams (11-1), which have outscored their last seven opponents, 129-37, grabbed 19 of the 27 first-place votes cast this week. Rhode Island has one final game left on the docket – a clash with Division I UConn on Sunday – before heading to conference tournament play.

Cal State San Marcos (12-1) remains hot on the Rams tail after rallying for a 15-11 victory against No. 9 UC San Diego (10-2) over the weekend. The Cougars, who are one of the top seeds in the SLC tournament, grabbed the remaining eight first-place votes.

No. 3 Montana State (10-1), which crushed No. 19 College of Idaho, remains at No. 3 and has already picked up a top seed in the RMLC playoffs that commence on April 28 in Fort Collins, Colo.

No. 4 St. Thomas (7-2) rolled to three comfy wins over the weekend and just have to close out archrival and No. 18 St. John’s (4-4) on Friday to ensure one of the top seeds in the UMLC playoffs that occur in Loves Park, Ill., from April 28-30.

No. 5 Montana (15-2) has wrapped up its regular season and is the top seed in the PNCLL playoffs starting on April 29 in Lake Oswego, Ore.

Miami (5-6) departed the poll this week to make way for No. 23 Northern Arizona (9-3).

New Balance Division II Coaches Poll – Week 9

RANK TEAM POINTS 1st VOTES
1. Rhode Island 662 19
2. Cal State San Marcos 653 8
3. Montana State 608
4. St. Thomas 574
5. Montana 573
6. Florida Gulf Coast 530
7. Grand Valley State 515
8. Missouri State 501
9. UC San Diego 444
10. UNC-Charlotte 419
11. Wake Forest 368
12. Utah State 357
13. Kennesaw State 356
14. Minn.-Duluth 327
15. Air Force 319
16. Florida Atlantic 271
17. Dayton 255
18. St. John’s 185
19. College of Idaho 167
20. North Dakota State 156
21. Western Washington 126
22. Coastal Carolina 99
23. Northern Arizona 87
24. Northwest Nazarene 64
25. UC Davis 54

Receiving votes: Miami (49), Baylor (20), Tulane (14), San Diego (9), MSU Denver (7), Maine (4), Georgia Southern (2).