(Argo Athletics Media Release)
ATLANTA, Ga. – For the first time in program history, the University of Providence men’s lacrosse team has been ranked in the Under Armour MCLA Division II Preseason Coaches’ Poll. After receiving its first national ranking in program history part way through the 2017 season, and finishing the year ranked 20th, the Argos will enter the 2018 season with a national ranking of 19, the highest in program history.
After going 10-4, cracking the top 25, and qualifying for the PNCLL Division II playoffs for the first time in program history last year, UP Head Coach Fred Boekel is stepping up the level of his team’s competition in 2017. UP is scheduled to play seven teams ranked in the preseason poll, including a stretch of six ranked teams in a row. To make matters more difficult, none of those games will be played at home.
After starting the year against conference foe (RV) Gonzaga University at home on March 3, the Argos will play unranked Utah State University on the road before starting its murder’s row stretch.
That long, difficult road trip begins with neutral site games against (14) Northern Arizona University, and (6) Saint John’s University. Next is the 4th Annual Copper Cup, the rotating tournament between the state of Montana’s three MCLA teams. All three of those teams are ranked with (13) Montana State University taking its turn hosting UP and (12) University of Montana. UP beat MSU last year in a program-changing upset victory but the Argos have yet to beat the Griz who are also a PNCLL team.
After the Copper Cup, the Argos will face (15) College of Idaho in Idaho followed by (5) Sierra Nevada College in Nevada.
UP gets a bit of a reprieve against unranked Puget Sound the next week in the team’s third conference game. The next game will also be a PNCLL game, but will still be on the road against (25) Western Washington.
The WWU game will be both the end of road games and games against ranked opponents for UP in the regular season. Two non-conference home games against University of Northern Colorado and (RV) University of Colorado Denver and then a home conference game against Central Washington University will wrap up the regular season.
On April 4, the PNCLL Championships will begin and the battle to make that six-team playoff will be intense. UP is one of four teams from the PNCLL ranked in the top-25, along with Montana, College of Idaho, and Western Washington, while Southern Oregon, Western Oregon, Gonzaga, and Portland are all receiving votes.
2018 Under Armour MCLA Division II Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Rank Team Points 1st votes
1. St. Thomas 475 19
2. Grand Valley State 447
3. North Dakota State 427
4. Dayton 410
5. Sierra Nevada 397
6. St. John’s 387
7. Minn.-Duluth 356
8. Cal State Fullerton 330
9. Florida Gulf Coast 307
10. Bridgewater State 302
11. Kennesaw State 261
12. Montana 234
13. Montana State 232
14. Northern Arizona 209
15. College of Idaho 208
16. MSU Denver 205
17. San Diego 162
18. Louisiana 144
19. Providence (Mont.) 119
20. Missouri State 99
21. UT-Dallas 75
22. UC Santa Cruz 73
23. Appalachian State 56
24. Cal State San Marcos 38
25. Western Washington 34
Also receiving votes: Baylor (33), Central Conn. State (29), Southern Oregon (24), UC Davis (16), Fort Lewis (16), North Florida (12), UNC-Charlotte (9), Oklahoma State (8), Western Oregon (6), Colorado Denver (5), Gonzaga (4), Portland (4), Columbus State (3), Colorado Mines (2), Wake Forest (2), Stonehill (2).
