Air Force Tops MCLA Division II Coaches Poll for 5th Straight Week

ATLANTA — For the fifth consecutive week, Air Force is the top team in the MCLA Division II New Balance Week Coaches Poll, which was released on Wednesday.

The Falcons (7-0), which are on an extended hiatus and won’t play again for another three weeks, grabbed 16 of the 27 first-place votes cast this week.

Lurking just behind the Academy at No. 2 for the fourth straight week is St. Thomas (9-0). The Tommies are idle until the first weekend in April, when they will face three top 15 teams, including a pair of top 5 outfits. St. Thomas was awarded the remaining 11 first-place votes.

Montana State (8-1), which breezed past a couple of ranked teams, sits in third. The Bobcats are gearing up for a game this Friday against blood rival and No. 20 Montana (2-4) for Big Sky bragging rights.

Grand Valley State (4-0) is averaging 20 goals per game and is coming off a 23-1 demolition of St. John’s. The Lakers sit at No. 4 with Division I Western Michigan on the docket this weekend.

Rounding out the top 5 is Rhode Island (5-0). The Rams are coming off a shutout of Southern Connecticut State and gear up for a big weekend in Ohio by hosting Division I UConn tomorrow.

There were no new additions to the poll this week.

MCLA DIVISION II
COACHES POLL

1. Air Force, 663 (16 first-place votes)
2. St. Thomas, 659 (11)
3. Montana State, 618
4. Grand Valley State, 588
5. Rhode Island, 537
6. Kennesaw State, 513
7. UNC-Charlotte, 507
8. Coastal Carolina, 497
9. Florida Atlantic, 487
10. Cal State San Marcos, 442
11. Wake Forest, 385
12. Northwest Nazarene, 383
13. Dayton, 344
14. UC San Diego, 340
15. North Dakota State, 296
16. Denver, 219
17. Utah State, 180
18. Western Washington, 179
19. Bridgewater State, 167
20. Montana, 157
21. College of Idaho, 130
22. Missouri State, 129
23. Minn.-Duluth, 123
24. Florida Gulf Coast, 89
25. Northern Arizona, 82

Others receiving votes: Loyola Marymount (33), Appalachian State (22), UC Davis (4), UNC-Wilmington (2)