Hamline University has been picked to win the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference championship according to the preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches.
Hamline received 11 of the 14 first-place votes and 160 total points in the preseason poll.
The Pipers captured their first regular-season title last year with an 11-0 record in conference play (15-5 overall) and earned a repeat berth to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament with their second-consecutive MWLC Tournament title.
Augsburg University was second in the poll with156 points and two of the top votes, while Concordia University Wisconsin was third with 141 points.
Aurora University was selected fourth with 138 points and the remaining first-place vote, Illinois Tech was fifth with 118 and Cornell College was sixth with 89.
Loras College was seventh with 86 points, Wartburg College was eighth with 85 and Concordia University Chicago was ninth with 76 points.
Beloit College was picked 10th with 60 points, league-newcomer University of Northwestern-St. Paul was 11th with 53 points, while Benedictine University and additional new member Marian University tied for 12th with 38 points apiece. Monmouth College filled the final spot with 36 points.
The MWLC'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.
2019 MWLC Preseason Poll
1. Hamline (11), 160
2. Augsburg (2), 156
3. Concordia Wisconsin, 141
4. Aurora (1), 138
5. Illinois Tech, 118
6. Cornell, 89
7. Loras, 86
8. Wartburg, 85
9. Concordia Chicago, 76
10. Beloit, 60
11. Northwestern, 53
12. Benedictine, 38
Marian, 38
14. Monmouth, 36
First-place votes in parentheses
Voted by the conference's head coaches, who could not vote for their own team
13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 point scale used