2015 NAIA Women?s Tennis Coaches? Top 25 Poll ? March 3
By Mike DeVader, Communications and Sports Information Intern
KANSAS CITY, MO. – Georgia Gwinnett is the top team in the 2015 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The Grizzlies earned their seventh No. 1 ranking by earning 374 points and all 14 first-place votes.
Georgia Gwinnett (2-1) is looking to build upon its first national championship a season ago over Embry-Riddle (Fla.), 5-4, in the NAIA Women’s Tennis National Championship final on May 17, 2014. Most recently, the top-ranked women’s tennis team fell to NCAA Division III Emory (Ga.), 8-1, in Atlanta Ga., on Feb. 26.
The 2014 national runner-up – Embry-Riddle – holds on to the No. 2 position with 362 total points. No. 3 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (345 points) jumped up two positions since the Feb. 17 release. The rest of the top five includes fourth-ranked Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (336 points) and No. 5 Brenau (Ga.) (323 points), who leaped two spots from No. 7.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions. For the entire 2015 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll schedule, click here.
The third regular-season Top 25 Poll will be released March 17
Notes: (All information as of the 2000 season) Georgia Gwinnett earned its seventh all-time No. 1 ranking this week after winning its first-ever national championship in 2014… No. 3 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) leads all NAIA programs with 72 all-time No. 1 rankings… The Warhawks are followed by Brenau (Ga.) with 12, former-member Fresno Pacific (Calif.) with eight and Xavier (La.) with five… Auburn Montgomery topped each poll from Feb. 11, 2004, to May 1, 2010, a span of 47-straight No. 1 rankings, an NAIA record… The next closest streak is just eight by Fresno Pacific, which garnered the top selection in all eight polls in 2011… Auburn Montgomery has been ranked among the top five since April 2, 2003… Three teams held the No. 1 ranking in 2014: Auburn Montgomery, Georgia Gwinnett and Xavier.
2015 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll (March 3)
| RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2014-15 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Georgia Gwinnett (14) | 2-1 | 374 |
| 2 | 2 | Embry-Riddle (Fla.) | 4-2 | 362 |
| 3 | 5 | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | 7-2 | 345 |
| 4 | 4 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 1-4 | 336 |
| 5 | 7 | Brenau (Ga.) | 5-2 | 323 |
| 6 | 6 | SCAD Savannah (Ga.) | 4-2 | 314 |
| 7 | 3 | Xavier (La.) | 7-5 | 311 |
| 8 | 8 | Northwood (Fla.) | 3-3 | 289 |
| 9 | 9 | Oklahoma Baptist | 1-3 | 279 |
| 10 | 10 | Arizona Christian | 8-0 | 266 |
| 11 | 11 | Westmont (Calif.) | 7-3 | 252 |
| 12 | 12 | Davenport (Mich.) | 3-3 | 233 |
| 13 | 13 | Concordia (Calif.) | 5-2 | 225 |
| 14 | 14 | Milligan (Tenn.) | 2-1 | 212 |
| 15 | 15 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 3-6 | 198 |
| 16 | 16 | Indiana Wesleyan | 14-1 | 196 |
| 17 | 19 | Graceland (Iowa) | 1-2 | 187 |
| 18 | 17 | Coastal Georgia | 2-2 | 175 |
| 19 | 18 | Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) | 6-1 | 163 |
| 20 | 20 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 3-7 | 137 |
| 21 | 23 | William Carey (Miss.) | 4-3 | 129 |
| 22 | 21 | Northwestern Ohio | 5-4 | 119 |
| 23 | 22 | Marian (Ind.) | 12-1 | 108 |
| 24 | 25 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 4-2 | 89 |
| 25 | 24 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 0-1 | 85 |
Others Receiving Votes: Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 45; Cumberland (Tenn.) 42; LSU Alexandria 41; McPherson (Kan.) 33; Evangel (Mo.) 26; St. Thomas (Fla.) 22; Reinhardt (Ga.) 12; Georgetown (Ky.) 9; Ashford (Iowa) 8; Aquinas (Mich.) 7; Bethel (Kan.) 5;SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) 4.
^ 2015 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll (Feb. 17)
