Title Contenders
No. 4 Chico State
Region: 1st West Region
Conference: 1st at CCAA
2016 NCAAs: 4th
How They Will Win: The gap between the top three teams and fourth-ranked Chico State appears large, but then again how much do we really know about the Wildcats? They didn't compete in a mid-season contest loaded with NCAA qualifiers like Grand Valley State or face a title contender at conference and regionals like Adams State and Colorado Mines. They've been quietly doing their own thing on the West Coast.
Even without the benefit of seeing Chico face one of the other elite teams this season, a lot is going to have to go right for the Wildcats to pull off such a massive upset. The title winner will likely field five All-Americans. Can Chico get there? Senior All American Kyle Medina is a great low stick with top-10 potential, but otherwise only one other member of their top seven has finished in the top 100 at NCAAs. Senior Connor Fisher should earn his first All-American nod on Saturday, which will go a long way to Chico getting back on the podium. With several NCAA first-timers, however, anything better than fourth is a going to be a tough ask.
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