Aurora University has been picked to win the Midwest Lacrosse Conference championship according to the preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches.
The Spartans captured their fourth consecutive MLC title last year with a perfect 6-0 record in conference play (17-3 overall) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament with a 12-11 overtime victory in the first round.
Aurora received eight of the nine first-place votes and 64 total points in the preseason poll.
Concordia University Wisconsin was second with 57 points and the final top nod while Benedictine University was third with 49.
Beloit College was fourth with 43 points, Milwaukee School of Engineering fifth with 35 and Cornell College sixth with 31.
Monmouth College (19), Concordia University Chicago (16) and Fontbonne University (10) rounded out the final three spot in the poll.
The MLC's regular season standings determine the teams that qualify for the four-team conference tournament, while the tournament champion receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA III Championship Tournament.
2017 MLC Preseason Poll
1. Aurora (8), 64
2. Concordia Wisconsin (1), 57
3. Benedictine, 49
4. Beloit, 43
5. MSOE, 35
6. Cornell, 31
7. Monmouth, 19
8. Concordia Chicago, 16
9. Fontbonne, 10
First-place votes in parentheses
Voted by the conference's head coaches, who could not vote for their own team
8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 point scale used