Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Club National Tournament (DI & DII)

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ATLANTA – For the second straight season, Virginia Tech is the top seed in the 2023 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance, which will be held from May 8-13 at the Round Rock (Texas) Multipurpose Complex.
The Hokies (14-2), which won the ALC championship on Sunday, will matchup with UMLC winner Michigan State (6-5). Second-seeded Georgia Tech (14-3), the SELC champs, draws LSA champion Texas (10-2), which is making its first appearance at nationals since 2014.

DIVISION I BRACKET
Liberty, which fell to the Hokies in the ALC title tilt, checks in at No. 3, where they will face No. 14 UC Santa Barbara (8-5). The Gauchos – a two-time MCLA champion – are making their first appearance since 2016.
SLC’s finest Chapman (15-3) checks in at No. 4 and will get a rematch with two-time defending national champion South Carolina (8-9), who was the last at-large team admitted to the field.
Florida (12-2), which spent much of the season ranked atop the coaches poll, was slotted fifth and draws RMLC runner-up Brigham Young (13-6) in the first round. No. 11 Simon Fraser (11-0), the only undefeated team in the bracket, will puts its record to the test against No. 6 Georgia (12-2).
A pair of conference runners-up meet in the No. 7-10 game as Northeastern (11-5) clashes with Concordia (11-5). The bracket wraps up with CLC champion Boston College (10-2), seeded No. 9, squaring off with RMLC winner and No. 8 Utah Valley (15-2).
“Whoever comes out of this tournament with the trophy will have to earn it,” said director of competition Gary Podesta. “This is a grueling tournament, and there will certainly be no games off.”

First Round Matchups – May 8, 2023 – Round Rock, Texas
No. 16 Michigan State (6-5) v. No. 1 Virginia Tech (14-2)
No. 15 Texas (10-2) v. No. 2 Georgia Tech (14-3)
No. 14 UC Santa Barbara (8-5) v. No. 3 Liberty (13-3)
No. 13 South Carolina (8-9) v. No. 4 Chapman (15-3)
No. 12 Brigham Young (13-6) v. No. 5 Florida (12-2)
No. 11 Simon Fraser (11-0) v. No. 6 Georgia (12-2)
No. 10 Northeastern (11-5) v. No. 7 Concordia (11-5)
No. 9 Boston College (10-2) v. No. 8 Utah Valley (15-2)

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ROUND ROCK, Texas – The first round of the 2023 MCLA National Championships presented by New Balance is in the books and we already have an upset.

No. 13 Air Force (11-1) broke a 14-14 tie in the closing moments of the game with a pair of goals to pull off a stunner over No. 4 Montana (17-3), 16-14. The game was tight the entirety of the game with the two squads locked at fours after one and then the Falcons holding a narrow, 9-8 margin at halftime.

The Grizzlies roared back in the third quarter for a 13-12 edge with just a quarter to play, setting up Air Force’s late-game heroics. Jacob Freeman got the game-winning goal for the Falcons with Benjamin Morfit providing the insurance tally.

Morfit and Mark Tang were each credited with four goals and an assist in the win. Miles Hess had four goals and a dime in the losing effort for Montana.

No. 1 Rhode Island (15-1) d. No. 16 North Dakota State (5-7), 20-8
Keegan Reilly scored nine goals – the third most in Division II history – while Kennedy Heath chipped in with a hat trick as top-seeded Rhode Island breezed into the quarterfinals with a 20-8 triumph over No. 16 North Dakota State.

The game was relatively close at the beginning with the Rams holding just a 4-2 lead after 15 minutes, but the lead ballooned to 9-2 at the break. An eight-goal third put the contest away.

Hunter Billings had 10 saves for Rhode Island while a pair of goalies combed for 13 stops for North Dakota State. Cooper Eidem led the Bison with two goals.

No. 2 Cal State San Marcos (15-1) d. No. 15 Minn.-Duluth (5-8), 11-6
Brandon Donatelli netted a hat trick and Kobe Jones added a pair of goals leading second-seeded Cal State San Marcos to an 11-6 victory over No. 15 Minn.-Duluth.

Goals were at a premium all afternoon and the Cougars always came up with a big one to stave off any attempts by the Bulldogs.

Easton Bates had 10 saves for San Marcos while Kyle Ehrlichman posted 11 stops for Duluth.

No. 3 St. Thomas (12-2) d. No. 14 Florida Atlantic (5-7), 13-8
Third-seeded St. Thomas fell behind 3-1 to start the game against No. 14 Florida Atlantic, but Tommies outscored the Owls, 8-2, over the next two quarter to pull away for the five-point win.

Garret Hoch had four goals in the winning effort while Cabe Maskevich chipped in with a pair of goal and three assists. Gunner Arens finished with 14 saves.

Seven different scorers accounted for Florida Atlantic’s eight goals, led by a pair from Patrick Cerasuolo. Nicholas Meola had 14 saves for the Owls.

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