MINNEAPOLIS— The College of Saint Benedict has been selected to win the 2024 Midwest Lacrosse Conference (MLC) championship according to the preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches.

The Bennies received four first-place votes and 24 total points in the preseason poll. Saint Benedict won the regular season title last season.

Lake Forest was picked to finish second with 22 points and earned two first-place votes. The Foresters won the 2023 conference tournament championship.

Northwestern was third in the poll with 15 points, Hamline was fourth with 12 points, Cornell was fifth with 10 points, and Augsburg completed the poll 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.

The MLC is in its 13th season of league competition, with Hamline University having claimed the most conference tournament titles in conference history with five.

2024 MLC Preseason Poll
1. Saint Benedict (4), 24 points

2. Lake Forest (2), 22 points

3. Northwestern,  15 points

4. Hamline, 12 points

5. Cornell, 10 points

6. Augsburg, 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

Players to Watch (as chosen by the head coach)

Augsburg: Jade Wilson, Sophomore, Midfield

Cornell: India Smith, Senior, Defense

Hamline:   Kendra Haselow, Senior, Defender/Draw Specialist

Lake Forest: Ali Graham, Senior, Midfield

Northwestern:  Maddie Hauer, Junior, Midfield

Saint Benedict: Emma Nelson, Freshman, Midfield

-MLC-