A 3-0 start to the season at the annual Santa Barbara Shootout has positioned Utah Valley as the top-ranked team in the first WCLA Division II coaches’ poll of the year. UVU sandwiched a pair of one-goal victories over Boise State and UC San Diego around a blowout win over Cal State Fullerton to earn its first-ever No. 1 nod.
No. 2 Loyola, the national champion in 2018 and 2019, also started with a perfect 3-0 record in its chase for a third straight championship (2020 and 2021 seasons were canceled), posting road victories over Wake Forest, UNC Charlotte and Elon Club. Loyola has home matches against Salisbury Club and Towson Club this week.
Other than its one-goal loss to Utah Valley, No. 3 Boise State posted three wins in Santa Barbara, including four-goal victories over No. 6 Denver Club and Air Force.
No. 4 Grand Valley State Club and No. 5 UC San Diego round out the top five in the first poll of the year.
The first WCLA Division I ranking will be released next week.
WCLA DIVISION II
NATIONAL TOP 10
Feb. 23, 2022 |
Record |
Previous |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Utah Valley |
3-0 |
-- |
|
2 |
Loyola Club |
3-0 |
-- |
|
3 |
Boise State |
2-1 |
-- |
|
4 |
Grand Valley St. Club |
2-0 |
-- |
|
5 |
UC San Diego |
7-1 |
-- |
|
6 |
Denver Club |
3-3 |
-- |
|
7 |
MSU-Mankato |
1-0 |
-- |
|
8 |
CSU San Marcos |
5-0 |
-- |
|
9 |
St. Edward’s |
3-1 |
-- |
|
10 |
Oakland |
1-0 |
-- |