(Photo by Kevin Schoonover)

by Jac Coyne | MCLA.us

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Depending on your viewpoint - or perhaps your political bent – the concept of the automatic qualifier can be a polarizing issue.

For some, the AQ is a way to provide access to the national tournament for every team in our association. Every program's and conference’s money is green and, as such, they should be able to partake in the spoils if they win a league title.

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Others see the AQ as an athletic welfare system. Some of the teams that make it to nationals have been buoyed by an inorganic structure that puts them in contention for a championship at the expense of other programs that have proven themselves more competent.

While it has been an off-and-on again discussions among certain members of our league for quite some time, this is not even remotely limited to the MCLA. Or lacrosse.

Every March we hear the grousing of Power 5 programs who were left out of the basketball tournament because a certain number of bids went to backwater conferences who, typically, get boat-raced in the first round. As a former NCAA Division III honk, I can confirm it happens in every sport at every level.

A decade or so ago, the concept of creating a “premier league” as part of the MCLA was floated. Just the cream of the crop would be part of this group that would play for an uber-trophy. If you’re a soccer buff, think UEFA Champions League, or even that super league idea the top teams in Europe were tossing around.

How would it look if the MCLA decided to set aside the AQ system, ridding the nine conferences of their auto access to nationals?

Not to get too hyperbolic, but it would destroy our association.

It would rob our league of the ebb and flow of programs that makes our entire league tick.

You turn the clock back 15 years ago and UC Santa Barbara, Colorado State and Sonoma State would be laughing at the prospect of Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Utah Valley being anywhere near relevant.

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San Diego State, Boise State, West Virginia and Auburn used to be a punchlines, but because they have the carrot of a nationals bid hanging in front of them via an automatic qualifier, they are contenders.

Rhode Island, Northwest Nazarene, UNC-Charlotte, Montana State. They have become serious programs because they know they have access to the next level. How they do there is a secondary story, but the accessibility is the key.

As anyone will attest, I’m the biggest capitalist pig around. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps, free market, live and let die, etc. The automatic qualifier actually gives the incentive for all of that. If you work hard enough, you’ll get rewarded.

Indiana going undefeated in the regular season and Tennessee making the ALC semifinals are the residuals of the AQ system.

Cal State San Marcos is a brand name in D-II now, but I’m old enough to remember when they were playing iron man lacrosse and just trying to stay afloat. If I went back in time 10 years ago and told someone that Texas would be ranked No. 2 in the country, they’d need oxygen.

Conversely, I’ve seen some program decay. Teams that used to be penciled into the 16-team bracket aren’t even in the conversation in both divisions. That’s life. But those teams always have the option – with a new coach, new leadership, new captains – to get back in the mix and win a championship.

There will always be ups and downs, but the AQ system is one mechanic that brings out the best in the MCLA.

When the mascot isn’t around you tab the incoming president to don the @RealBuccees gear. #ROLLHIVE pic.twitter.com/5RFMfTndiL
— Georgia Tech Men's Lacrosse (@GaTechLAX) April 21, 2024

MY TOP FIVES

Division I
1. Brigham Young (13-0) – No one in the RMLC is going to slow this train down.
2. San Diego State (13-1) – They got burned by the SLC tiebreaker, but the ‘Tecs are legit.
3. Texas (13-0) – Three games in three days is a test for any program.
4. Tennessee (10-1) – Is there anybody ready to bet against the Vols right now?
5. Georgia Tech (13-3) – We’ll give the Bugs a freebie until next weekend.

Division II
1. Air Force (9-0) – Six-week hiatus made the Falcons ornery. Demolition last weekend.
2. St. Thomas (15-2) – They’ve split with GVSU so far. Another one coming.
3. Grand Valley State (14-1) – One slow quarter can change a tourney. Lesson learned.
4. Montana State (15-1) – RMLC bracket might be more entertaining than the UMLC.
5. Florida Atlantic (14-2) – SELC title a big step for this program’s advancement.

With it's victory in the SELC-II championship game, Florida Atlantic has grabbed a ticket to the 2024 MCLA National Championships presented by @NewBalanceLax. Selection Sunday is April 28. #mcla24 pic.twitter.com/xdGfTXmLrp
— MCLA (@MCLA) April 21, 2024

SLIDES & RIDES

- Tickets are available for purchase for the 2024 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance HERE.

- All 30 of the games at the 2024 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance will be streamed live. There is a special deal now where you can purchase “30 for $30” until April 30, when the price will revert back to normal.

- Kind of touched on it above, but let’s take a minute to appreciate James Madison and Indiana. JMU joined the league a couple of years ago and the Dukes weren’t getting much traction. The Hoosiers were not terribly competitive with anyone for a couple of seasons. They were both big storylines this spring.

JMU’s Owen Willison and Indiana’s Brent Balek kept their programs moving forward, along with their internal leadership structure, and they should all be commended. Teams striving and improving is what will keep the MCLA moving in the right direction.

- The two UMLC tournaments provided some quality suspense. Michigan State, despite being a third seed out of the East, managed to jump up and bite Iowa State, Indiana and Minnesota to grab the D-I free ticket to Round Rock. St. Thomas jumped out early on top-ranked GVSU and it proved to be the difference. Both teams are heading to Texas, so it was more of a seeding game, but both are probably hoping to avoid Air Force and Montana State for as long as possible.

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- I’m assuming Georgia Tech and South Carolina are through (I don’t know anything, by the way), but what about Florida State and Florida? The ‘Noles won the head-to-head while the Gators made it further in the tournament. Seems like kind of a push. They both seem like bubble teams who could fall victim of some other conference hijinks (like Texas getting beat). I’d feel comfortable with both showing out well in Round Rock if they got the nod.

- Add Florida Atlantic into the mix with St. Thomas, GVSU, Montana State, Rhode Island and Air Force as legit contenders. I usually get nervous with high-scoring teams when they get to nationals because the defensive quality skyrockets, but the Owls have proven they can go head-to-head with most teams.

D-I NOTES: Congrats to Sam Bellomy of Northeastern for breaking the 600-save mark in his career…thumbs up to Minnesota’s Jonas Waskosky for cracking the career 100-goal mark in the UMLC finals…Baylor moved to Division I this year and they got their payoff, earning a bid in the LSA playoffs. The Bears have to tangle with top-seeded Texas, but they have a chip and chair. Good work…the Stanford-Sonoma State triple overtime WCLL tourney game was a classic. Seawolves still alive…the BYU-UVU contest is setting up to be a gem on Friday.

D-II NOTES: Congrats to Southern Conn. State’s Connor Erickson, who surged passed the 500-save mark, setting a new school record…it didn’t make a difference in the SLC-II seeding, but it was interesting to see San Diego laying the lumber to Loyola Marymount. The Lions could have been dialing back in preparation for the SLCs, but it still bodes well for the seminal D-II juggernaut…Northwest Nazarene is going to be a problem…underrated performance by Appalachian State shutting down Virginia Tech D-II.

- We’re in the penultimate week of awards, so make sure your guys get the recognition they deserve. PEARL and Warrior nominations by noon on Monday.