SAN DIEGO – After being one of the four conference programs selected to the 2022 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance, Concordia has been voted the favorite in Division I of the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC) this spring.

The Golden Eagles (13-3), which were bounced in the first round of nationals, garnered six of the eight first-place votes to comfortably sit in the top spot.

Nine points behind Concordia is USC (13-5). The Trojans made their first-ever trip to nationals in ’22 and were put atop of a pair of ballots in the SLC poll.

Grand Canyon (7-7), which was the No. 11 seed at last year’s national tournament, was slotted in the third chair, followed by Arizona State (7-6) just three points behind.

The SLC-I preseason poll drops tomorrow. Of the four teams that qualified for nationals in '22, who ya got atop the charts? #mcla23
— 2023 MCLA National Tourney (@MCLA_Tournament) October 19, 2022

Two points behind the Sun Devils was archrival Arizona (9-6) at No. 5. The Wildcats were the fourth team to make it to Round Rock, running up against the eventual national champions in the first round.

Long-time SLC power Chapman (7-7) was slotted sixth followed by San Diego State (3-9) and UCLA (4-8).

“This could end up being one of the competitive seasons in the SLC that we’ve ever seen,” said SLC conference director Matt Holman. “Perennial top-ranked teams like ASU and Chapman, along with the emergence of Concordia and USC, means every game is a dogfight in conference play. Lose one and you might not make the conference tourney.”

2023 SLC Division I Preseason Coaches Poll