by Jac Coyne | MCLA.us

LA CROSSE, Wis. – For a long time in the MCLA, the power bases were quite rigid.

In Division I, the Rockies and California were in complete control. The first 11 national champions came from one of those two areas. After a brief three-year period from 2008-10 when Michigan had its way, things reverted to form for four more years.

Grand Canyon brought Arizona into the mix in 2015 and ’17, but the trend was basically the same. The left side of the country was where the MCLA reigned supreme.

RESULTS: FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY

Even the most cynical MCLA followers could not contest that we were a West Coast league.

The façade started to crack in 2018 when Michigan State dropped both BYU and Chapman in the final four to post a non-hotbed win in Salt Lake City. The following year South Carolina made it two outside of the norm.

After a two-year hiatus, things picked right back up with the Gamecocks doing it again.

Now all the power has shifted completely across the country. The Top 5 teams in the country currently reside in the Southeast, and the chances of the title remaining on the east bank of the Mississippi is highly probable.

Division II is experiencing much the same thing.

If you could bet ONE MILLION dollars on who was getting a bid to nationals today, who'd you go with? #mcla23
— 2023 MCLA National Tourney (@MCLA_Tournament) April 23, 2023

The D-II title was on lockdown in the Upper Midwest from 2009-16 as St. Thomas and their kin brutalized the division. And even after Concordia snuck in a

West Coast title in 2017, the next two years featured two more UMLC title-winners.

Complete ownership.

As we came out on the other side of the forced shutdown, Utah emerged as the champion. Granted, the Utes were a different bird, but three of the four semifinalists were non-UMLC squads.

Looking at this year, it’s teams outside of the Midwest looking strong. We could see Rhode Island, Montana, Montana State and Cal State San Marcos in the semifinals depending on seeding. Yes, we could also see St. Thomas and Grand Valley State in there, but stay with me on this one.

Of course, the shifting landscape of the MCLA is wonderful for our growth. And there is no telling whether the power landscape will shift again or revert back to previous places.

It’s fun to have something new, and it mike act as an impetus to other parts of the country.

We're still giving out awards for another two weeks. UNC-Charlotte's Blake Moxim received his EVO QX-O head for being the @warriorlax Player of the Week. Who wants one this week (goalie, too)? Nominations --> [email protected] by Monday morning. #mcla23 pic.twitter.com/disoqPmNYJ
— 2023 MCLA National Tourney (@MCLA_Tournament) April 23, 2023

MY TOP FIVES
Division I
1. Georgia Tech (14-3) – They had one bad weekend all season.
2. Virginia Tech (12-2) – Kind of jockeying for seeding now. Chapman losing helps.
5. Simon Fraser (9-0) – PNCLL looking like a formality at this point. They better hope so.
3. Liberty (12-2) – Appears a showdown with the Hokies is likely looming.
4. Utah Valley (13-2) – With the right seed, the Wolverines could be dangerous.

Division II
1. Rhode Island (12-1) – Doesn’t mean much, but beating UConn is kind of impressive.
2. Cal State San Marcos (12-1) – Can anyone score at their pace?
3. Montana State (12-1) – Haven’t given up double digit-goals all season.
4. Montana (15-2) – Grizzlies just have to avoid a complacent tournament showing.
5. Kennesaw State (10-3) – Heating up at just the right time for a Round Rock run.

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A LOOK AHEAD
Hoo, boy! It’s Christmas in April with 16 presents waiting under the tree, all filled with tickets to Round Rock. Obviously, the SELC is already in the books, but every other conference will culminate this weekend.

The RMLC will wrap up its show on Saturday in Fort Collins, with the remaining 14 tickets being doled on Sunday. Every game will have its own drama.

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SLIDES & RIDES
- Resilience was the word of the day on Sunday at the SELC championships. Kennesaw had to rally from three down in the fourth quarter to subdue Florida Gulf Coast while Georgia Tech needed a 6-1 run in the final frame to move past South Carolina. The knowledge that you can come back against quality teams will serve both well in Texas.

- We know that St. Thomas and Grand Valley State are through to nationals regardless of what happens in Loves Park, Ill., this coming weekend, but is there a third UMLC bid out there? A couple of upsets would probably help the cause.

- Southern Methodist beating Texas Christian in double overtime is a shocker. While SMU is a quality outfit, they got drilled by the Frogs, 13-6, two weeks ago at home. To flip that script is gritty, and now the lowest-seeded team in the LSA will have home field advantage.

- I’d be remiss without a requiem for South Carolina. The Gamecocks played their hearts out and really looked like they were going pull it off again, but Georgia Tech had a stronger finishing kick. Bridging the virus gap between 2019 and 2022 is something that (hopefully) will never be done again. They set the standard with their schedule this year.

OWLS WIN‼️ Down 4-1 in the 2nd and 6-4 going into the 4th, the Owls come back twice to beat West Virginia for the program’s first MCLA playoff win! The Owls advance to the ALC semifinals next weekend. pic.twitter.com/smBj1rctwA
— Temple Mens Lacrosse (@TempleMensLax) April 23, 2023

I don’t listen to committee calls before Selection Sunday nor glance at the spreadsheets, but I could easily make a case for the Gamecocks admittance to the tournament. I could also specify numerous headwinds that could keep them out. Regardless of how it transpires, South Carolina has been a great champion and made the SELC a power.

- Congrats to Bridgewater State’s Nick McKenna for eclipsing the 100-point mark for his career. With 93 goals, he should hit the century mark there next year, too…congrats to Stonehill for downing both Bridgewater State and UMass-Dartmouth to grab the final playoff berth in CLC-II.

Congrats to Miami (Ohio) coach Harry Baker, whose final game was a win over UMLC East top seed Michigan State. Good luck, Harry!...Congrats to UC Santa Barbara’s Lucas Menendez for eclipsing the 100-point mark in his career.

- Next Sunday is a big one on the MCLA calendar with the selection of the field of 16 for both divisions. The Division II selections and pairings will be released at approximately 8:45 p.m. EDT (5:45 p.m. PDT) while the Division I announcement will come around 10:30 EDT (6:30 PDT). These times could fluctuate depending on how the process goes.

- If you want to follow along with all the tournaments next weekend, use the CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CLEARINGHOUSE.