ATLANTA – With a solid start to the season, including a win over a ranked Division I program, Minn.-Duluth has ascended into the top spot of the Week 1 MCLA Division II New Balance Coaches Poll for the period ending Feb. 18.

The Bulldogs (3-0), which were third in the preseason, handed then-No. 18 Minnesota its only loss of the season and has since taken down No. 10 Montana (2-2) and No. 15 Montana State (0-2).

Duluth has 14 of the 22 first-place votes cast this week.

Defending champion and preseason No. 1 St. Thomas (2-1) takes a step back with a loss to that same Minnesota team, but the Tommies still have seven first place votes and sit just three total points behind their UMLC and in-state rival.

Dayton (0-0) snagged the remaining first place vote to have them comfortably at No. 3.

North Dakota State (0-0) and College of Idaho (0-0), neither of which have started their seasons, are at No. 4 and 5, respectively.

As usual, the UMLC own six of the top seven spots in the poll with No. 6 Grand Valley State (0-0) and No. 7 St. John’s (0-1) following the Yotes.

MCLA Division II New Balance Coaches Poll – Week 1

Others receiving votes: Florida Atlantic (40), Rice (28), Wake Forest (23), UC Irvine (21), Western Oregon (18), Stonehill (14), Oklahoma State (13), Sierra Nevada (13), Central Washington (12), Appalachian State (10), Baylor (7), Colorado Denver (7), Claremont (5), Saint Mary’s (4), WashU (4), UT-San Antonio (2), Colorado Mines (1), TAMU-Galveston (1), Western Washington (1).