D-II Poll: Bulldogs Strengthen Grip
ATLANTA – Despite an idle week, Minn.-Duluth strengthened its top spot in the MCLA Division II New Balance Weekly Coaches Poll for the period ending Feb. 25.
The Bulldogs (3-0) snagged 19 of the 22 first-place votes submitted this week, moving 22 points clear of the second spot. Duluth won’t return to action until the weekend of March 7 when the square off with three ranked teams in Nashville.
Preseason No. 1 and defending national champion St. Thomas (2-1) sits tight at No. 2 while collecting a pair of first-place votes. The Tommies will also see its next action in Nashville.
Dayton (0-0) remains at No. 3 with one first-place vote and will finally get their season cooking this weekend when they head to Missouri for three games.
North Dakota (1-0) and College of Idaho (0-0) round out the top five spots.
San Diego (1-2) departed the poll this week and was replaced by No. 25 Florida Atlantic (6-0).
MCLA Division II New Balance Coaches Poll – Week 2
RANK | TEAM | POINTS | 1st VOTES |
1. | Minn.-Duluth | 544 | 19 |
2. | St. Thomas | 522 | 2 |
3. | Dayton | 496 | 1 |
4. | North Dakota State | 489 | |
5. | College of Idaho | 461 | |
6. | Grand Valley State | 440 | |
7. | St. John's | 405 | |
8. | Kennesaw State | 395 | |
9. | Northern Arizona | 330 | |
10. | Montana | 329 | |
11. | UC Davis | 311 | |
12. | Florida Gulf Coast | 263 | |
13. | Montana State | 242 | |
14. | Utah State | 241 | |
15. | North Florida | 224 | |
16. | Missouri State | 193 | |
17. | UC San Diego | 182 | |
18. | Bridgewater State | 174 | |
19. | Loyola Marymount | 128 | |
20. | Cal State San Marcos | 127 | |
21. | Central Conn. State | 108 | |
22. | Rhode Island | 107 | |
23. | UNC-Charlotte | 102 | |
24. | MSU Denver | 72 | |
25. | Florida Atlantic | 62 |
Others receiving votes: San Diego (56), College of Charleston (41), Rice (26), Western Oregon (18), Wake Forest (15), Colorado Denver (13), UC Irvine (12), Stonehill (7), Washington-Mo. (6), Oklahoma State (3), Saint Mary’s (3), Claremont (2), Sierra Nevada (1).