SAN DIEGO – After advancing to at least the national semifinals for the sixth-straight season in 2019, Chapman has been selected as the favorite to win the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC) Division I title in 2021, according to the preseason coaches poll.

The Panthers, who grabbed seven of the eight first-place votes, finished 2020 with a 5-2 record and were ranked No. 6 in the New Balance MCLA weekly poll.

Chapman was followed by Concordia-Irvine, which gobbled up the remaining first-place vote. The Eagles played one of the toughest schedules in 2020, ending with a 3-4 mark.

USC sits in the third seat while Grand Canyon rounds on the top four of this eight-team league.

“Our freshman class looks good and we bring back a strong nucleus of upperclassmen with a ton of starting experience from 2020 and before,” said Chapman coach Dallas Hartley. “The SLC is always a tough conference, so it's nice to be chosen as No. 1 in the preseason. Hopefully, we can all get back on the field safely and compete in 2021!”

2021 SLC Division I Preseason Coaches Poll