High-Octane Hokies Lead MCLA Division I Coaches Poll

ATLANTA — The Virginia Tech Hokies were the top seed in last year’s nationals, and now Virginia Tech is the top team in the first week of the New Balance MCLA Division I Coaches Poll, which was released on February 22.

Virginia Tech (5-0) is off to another fast start and is winning with ease, outscoring its first five opponents by an average of nearly 13 goals per game. The Hokies grabbed 21 of the 27 first-place votes cast.

Sitting in second is Georgia Tech (4-0), which eliminated Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals of the 2022 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance. The Yellow Jackets are credited with five first-place votes.

The surprise team of February is Florida State (3-0). The Seminoles have already defeated a pair of ranked teams, earning them a first-place vote and the third spot in the poll despite being unranked in the preseason. Despite losing to Virginia Tech this past weekend, Liberty (2-1) jumps up to fourth in the poll and is followed by Florida (4-1) at No. 5.

Two-time defending champion and preseason No. 1 South Carolina dips to No. 12 in the first weekly poll after suffering back-to-back losses to Florida and Florida State.

There are four new faces in the poll this week that were outside the velvet rope during the preseason. No. 16 Georgia (5-1), No. 20 Utah (2-0), No. 24 Oregon (2-1) and No. 25 Dominican (2-2) all join the party in week one. Clemson (2-3), Minnesota (1-3), Arizona State (0-2) and Texas Christian (3-1) have been escorted out of the polls.

The RMLC, SELC and SLC all have five representatives in the poll this week followed by the WCLL with four. The ALC and CLC have a pair each.

NEW BALANCE MCLA
DIVISION I COACHES POLL

Receiving votes: LSU (77), NC State (55), Santa Clara (33), Texas Christian (29), San Diego State (26), Arizona State (16), Michigan State (11), Southern Methodist (10), Missouri (8), Boise State (8), Texas A&M (7), New Hampshire (7), Minnesota (3), Iowa State (2), Clemson (1).