D-II Poll: Still Flying High
ATLANTA – For the sixth consecutive week, Air Force is the top team in Division II according to the seventh installment of the MCLA New Balance Weekly Coaches Poll, which was released on Wednesday.
The Falcons (7-0), which will close the season on the weekend of April 20 with a pair of conference games, saw its margin trimmed in half from last week. Air Force has 14 of the 27 first-place votes.
Right on its heels is St. Thomas (9-0), as the Tommies grabbed the remaining top votes. St. Thomas remains in second for the fifth-straight period and is just two points behind the Falcons.
The Tommies will have a chance at leaping over Air Force with games against No. 14 Dayton (2-3), No. 4 Grand Valley State (6-0) and No. 5 Rhode Island (6-0) in a three-day span this weekend.
The remainder of the Top 5 remained static with Montana State (10-1) in third followed by the Lakes and Rams.
Loyola-Marymount (7-2) jumps into the poll, but the Lions don’t display any teams as they are in a tie for No. 25 with Florida Gulf Coast (4-6).
MCLA D-II New Balance Coaches Poll – Week 7
RANK | TEAM | POINTS | 1st VOTES |
1. | Air Force | 662 | 14 |
2. | St. Thomas | 660 | 13 |
3. | Montana State | 616 | |
4. | Grand Valley State | 591 | |
5. | Rhode Island | 540 | |
6. | Kennesaw State | 518 | |
7. | UNC-Charlotte | 500 | |
8. | Coastal Carolina | 496 | |
9. | Florida Atlantic | 485 | |
10. | Cal State San Marcos | 444 | |
11. | Northwest Nazarene | 390 | |
12. | Wake Forest | 388 | |
13. | UC San Diego | 339 | |
14. | Dayton | 333 | |
15. | North Dakota State | 297 | |
16. | Denver | 243 | |
17. | Utah State | 212 | |
18. | Bridgewater State | 181 | |
19. | College of Idaho | 153 | |
20. | Montana | 134 | |
21t. | Minn.-Duluth | 114 | |
21t. | Missouri State | 114 | |
21t. | Northern Arizona | 114 | |
21t. | Western Washington | 114 | |
25t. | Florida Gulf Coast | 48 | |
25t. | Loyola Marymount | 48 |
Others receiving votes: Appalachian State (32), Saint Mary’s (3), Tampa (2), UC Davis (2), William & Mary (1), UNC-Wilmington (1).