By Travis Rae, NAIA Communications & Sports Information Intern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Xavier (La.) sits atop the final regular-season edition of the 2013 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25Poll, the national office announced Monday. The Gold Nuggets received 9-of-12 first-place votes for 309 points to earn the top spot. This is the third-consecutive week Xavier has claimed the No. 1 ranking.

The 24 qualifiers for the NAIA Women’s Tennis National Championship will be announced at 5 p.m. CDT today and the seeds and brackets will be announced at 5 p.m. CDT Tuesday on NAIA.org.

Xavier has not played since April 21, when the Gold Nuggets claimed the Unaffiliated Group Tournament - featuring AAC, A.I.I. and GCAC - by defeating No. 15 SCAD Atlanta, 5-3.

Claiming the last three first-place votes and holding steady at No. 2 is Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) with 304 points. Brenau (Ga.) comes in at No. 3 with 293 points. No. 4 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) and No. 5 William Carey (Miss.) round out the top five with 282 and 270 points, respectfully.

Making the biggest jump in the poll is Southeastern (Fla.), who jump up two spots from No. 25 to No. 23. The Fire lost to No. 12 Northwood (Fla.), 5-0, in The Sun Conference quarterfinals on April 19.

Joining the Top 25 this week is No. 25 Nebraska Wesleyan. The Prairie Wolves claimed the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament title by defeating Morningside (Iowa), 5-0, on May 4.

Falling from the Top 25 is St. Thomas (Fla.) (No. 21).

Ten of the 13 conferences/independents/unaffiliated groupings are represented in the poll, led by the Southern States Athletic Conference with five teams. The Sun Conference follows with four teams.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences/independents/unaffiliated groupings. The postseason poll will be announced on May 22.

Notes: (All information as of the 2000 season) Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) has been ranked No. 1 a total of 69 times., the most all-time… Brenau (Ga.) is next closest with 11 No. 1 rankings, followed by former-NAIA member Fresno Pacific (Calif.) with eight, former-NAIA member Shorter (Ga.) and Xavier (La.) with three and Northwood (Fla.) with two … Auburn Montgomery topped each poll from Feb. 11, 2004, to May 1, 2010, a span of 47-straight No. 1 rankings, which is an NAIA record … The next closest streak is just eight by Fresno Pacific, which garnered the top selection in all eight polls in 2011 … Northwood gained its only two No. 1 rankings in school history in 2003 when it went on to win the national championship … Auburn Montgomery has been ranked in the top five since, Feb. 11, 2004… The last time a non-Southern States Athletic Conference School was No. 1, was when former-NAIA member Fresno Pacific (Calif.) claimed the No. 1 ranking during the entire 2011 season.

2013 Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Final Top 25

RANK	LAST TIME	SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES)	RECORD	TOTAL POINTS
1	1	Xavier (La.) (9)	17-7	309
2	2	Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (3)	13-8	304
3	3	Brenau (Ga.)	12-4	293
4	4	SCAD Savannah (Ga.)	12-2	282
5	5	William Carey (Miss.)	11-8	270
6	6	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	17-2	259
7	7	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	10-8	256
8	8	Westmont (Calif.)	17-2	241
9	9	Embry-Riddle (Fla.)	10-10	234
10	10	Oklahoma Baptist	13-10	221
11	11	Vanguard (Calif.)	11-16	209
12	12	Northwood (Fla.)	8-7	203
13	13	Concordia (Calif.)	9-11	187
14	14	Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)	16-6	179
15	15	SCAD Atlanta (Ga.)	7-3	178
16	16	Coastal Georgia	8-8	155
17	17	Indiana Wesleyan	22-1	154
18	18	Cumberland (Tenn.)	14-6	144
19	19	Milligan (Tenn.)	19-3	137
20	20	Campbellsville (Ky.)	11-9	121
21	22	Marian (Ind.)	16-9	109
22	23	Davenport (Mich.)	20-9	96
23	25	Southeastern (Fla.)	7-11	88
24	24	Lee (Tenn.)	4-7	79
25	RV	Nebraska Wesleyan	13-7	63

Others receiving votes: Ashford (Iowa) 59; Bethel (Kan.) 47; Ave Maria (Fla.) 25; Belhaven (Miss.) 24; Northwestern Ohio 17; Robert Morris (Ill.) 16; Cumberlands (Ky.) 14; Hope International (Calif.) 10; Evangel (Mo.) 9; Georgetown (Ky.) 3.