MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Dubuque has been selected to win the 2023 Midwest Lacrosse Conference (MLC) championship according to the preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches. The Spartans earned 25 total points and five first-place votes. Dubuque won the regular season and conference tournament titles in 2022.

Lake Forest was picked to finish second with 21 points and received one first-place vote. Northwestern was picked third with 16 points, Cornell was selected fourth with 14 points, Monmouth fifth with eight points, and Northland sixth with six points. 

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 Tournament. All teams open conference play on Saturday, April 1. 

The MLC is in its 13th season of league competition, with Aurora University having claimed the most postseason titles in conference history with six.

2023 MLC Preseason Poll
1. Dubuque (5), 25 points
2. Lake Forest (1), 21 points
3. Northwestern, 16 points
4. Cornell, 14 points
5. Monmouth, 8 points
6. Northland, 6 points

First-place votes in parentheses
Voted by the conference's head coaches, who could not vote for their own team
5-4-3-2-1 point scale used

-MLC-