Last year’s two national champions, Michigan in Division I and Loyola (Md.) in Division II, have been tabbed as the No. 1 teams in the 2019 Nike/US Lacrosse WCLA Preseason Top 20 rankings, according to voting conducted by the respective ranking committees.
Nearly 230 collegiate club teams comprise the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) and compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella.
Michigan finished with a perfect 19-0 record last year, becoming the first undefeated champion since 2013. The Wolverines claimed their second WCLA title by beating BYU, 11-7, in the championship game. Goalie Maddie Collins, last year’s national rookie of the year, and All-American defender Sarah Fried are among the top returnees for the Wolverines in 2019.
BYU, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia round out the top five in the Division I preseason poll.
Coming off its first Division II championship in 2018, Loyola begins the new season atop the Division II ranking. The Greyhounds dethroned two-time champion Denver by defeating the Pioneers, 14-3, in last year’s final and closed the year with an 11-game winning streak. Loyola’s 11-goal margin of victory was the largest ever in the D-II championship game. The Greyhounds finished 14-2 overall.
Denver, Vermont, Providence, and New Hampshire round out the top five in the 2019 Division II preseason poll.
The 2019 WCLA season begins in earnest on February 15 with over 40 teams competing in the annual Santa Barbara (Calif.) Shootout, and eight others playing in UCLA’s Golden State Invitational. The 2019 season will end with the US Lacrosse WCLA Championship Tournament in Virginia Beach, May 8-11.
Nike/US Lacrosse WCLA Division I Preseason Top 20
1. Michigan Club
2. BYU
3. Virginia Club
4. North Carolina Club
5. Georgia
6. Delaware Club
7. Pittsburgh
8. San Diego State Club
9. Boston College Club
10. Cal Poly
11. UCLA
12. Colorado
13. Penn State Club
14. St. Mary’s (CA)
15. Texas
16. Oregon Club
17. Central Florida
18. Colorado State
19. Virginia Tech Club
20. Ohio State Club
Nike/US Lacrosse WCLA Division II Preseason Top 20
1. Loyola Club
2. Denver Club
3. Vermont Club
4. Providence
5. New Hampshire Club
6. St. Thomas
7. Grand Valley Club
8. Utah State
9. St. Benedict
10. Air Force
11. Stanford Club
12. Portland State
13. Oakland
14. Dayton
15. Cal State San Marcos
16. Elon Club
17. Iowa State
18. Coastal Carolina Club
19. Chico State
20. High Point Club