The actual MCLA National Tournament bracket should be released sometime soon. Here are the automatic bid winners:
- #1 Michigan (CCLA)
- #3 Colorado State (RMLC)
- #5 Chapman (SLC)
- #8 Texas (LSA)
- #9 Florida State (LSA)
- #11 Oregon (PNCLL)
- #12 Cal Poly (WCLL)
- #20 Lindenwood (GRLC)
- #21 Buffalo (PCLL)
- #25 Minnesota-Duluth (UMLL)
From earlier this week, we have the following at-large candidates (vying for 6 spots):
- #2 BYU (RMLC finalst)
- #4 Arizona State (SLC finalist)
- #6 Michigan State (CCLA finalist)
- #7 Colorado (RMLC semifinalist)
- #10 Boston College (PCLL finalist)
- #13 UCSB (SLC semifinalist)
- #14 Utah (RMLC semifinalist)
The top few teams there (at least to Colorado) are holy locks. That means that the remaining squads are vying for about 2 spots. Remember, almost all of these teams (except the SELC squads) have lost a game since the last poll came out, so Utah is living on a razor’s edge.
In fact, BC’s loss to Buffalo will keep the Utes at home next week. Without further ado, my projected 2011 MCLA Tournament bracket:
Projected 2011 MCLA Tournament Bracket
No big changes from straight seeding order (though I had to make some guesses since there’s not a poll available with today’s results taken into account). I made Chapman the third seed over BYU, since they won their conference over a damn good Arizona State team, and it also avoids one all-RMLC semifinal. I also dropped Boston College one spot below my guess of their final poll standing, in order to avoid a first-round regular-season rematch between the Eagles and Michigan State.
I’ll post the actual bracket when the MCLA releases it.