2015 NAIA Men?s Tennis Coaches? Top 25 Poll ? April 14
By Mike DeVader, Communications and Sports Information Intern
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Georgia Gwinnett is the unanimous choice at No. 1 in the 2015 NAIA Men’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The Grizzlies took home all 11 first-place votes and 281 total points on their way to the top spot.
Today’s top-billing is the program’s seventh No. 1 in school history. The top-ranked squad has been cemented atop the rankings since the 2014 Coaches’ Postseason Poll on May 21, 2014 – a string of seven releases.
Georgia Gwinnett (11-2) is 1-1 since the March 31edition of the Top 25. The Grizzles fell to NCAA Division II Hawaii-Pacific on April 3, 5-3, in Pensacola, Fla. Most recently, they rebounded nicely with a 5-3 victory over NCAA Division II West Florida on April 4.
In that match, West Florida would hold serve in doubles competition, but the Argonaut advantage would prove short-lived as the Grizzlies went to work in singles. Lachlan McPhee would win 6-4, 6-0, and Jordan Cox – the No. 2 player in the NAIA – found victory at 6-4, 6-2.
The No. 1 team has NCAA Division III Emory (Ga.) next up on April 21 at home.
Subtle movement within the top five took place today, as No. 2 Embry-Riddle (16-3) – 2014 national runner-up – remains in second position with 267 total points. Moving up to third is 2014 national championship semifinalist Vanguard (Calif.) (23-0) with 265 points.
The rest of the top five includes No. 4 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (15-5 and 256 points), and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (10-1 and 245 points) is fifth.
No. 9 San Diego Christian (Calif.) leaped higher than any other school, jumping up from No. 17. Thirteenth-ranked Westmont (Calif.) fell from No. 10.
This week’s sole newcomer into the poll is No. 24 McPherson (Kan.). The Bulldogs were last ranked on Feb. 17 (No. 25).
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 Men’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll schedule, click here.
The sixth regular-season edition of the Top 25 Poll will be April 28.
Notes: (All information as of the 2000 season) Georgia Gwinnett is ranked No. 1 for the seventh time in program history, and fifth-straight regular-season edition… Embry-Riddle (Fla.) had topped the poll for 12-straight editions prior to the 2014 Coaches’ Postseason Poll on May 21, 2014… Auburn Montgomery’s (Ala.) 29 top mentions are the most all-time… The Warhawks are followed by former-members Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and Fresno Pacific (Calif.) with 23 each, Embry-Riddle with 15 and Oklahoma City with 13… Two teams held the No. 1 ranking in 2014: Embry-Riddle and Georgia Gwinnett.
2015 NAIA Men’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll (April 14
| RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2014-15 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Georgia Gwinnett (11) | 11-2 | 281 |
| 2 | 2 | Embry-Riddle (Fla.) | 16-3 | 267 |
| 3 | 4 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 23-0 | 265 |
| 4 | 3 | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | 15-5 | 256 |
| 5 | 5 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 10-1 | 245 |
| 6 | 6 | Xavier (La.) | 12-6 | 236 |
| 7 | 7 | Northwestern Ohio | 12-5 | 227 |
| 8 | 8 | Bethany (Kan.) | 6-0 | 209 |
| 9 | 17 | San Diego Christian (Calif.) | 12-6 | 206 |
| 10 | 11 | William Carey (Miss.) | 9-5 | 205 |
| 11 | 9 | Concordia (Calif.) | 11-8 | 194 |
| 12 | 12 | Coastal Georgia | 9-5 | 176 |
| 13 | 13 | Northwood (Fla.) | 10-2 | 175 |
| 13 | 10 | Westmont (Calif.) | 9-13 | 175 |
| 15 | 15 | Belhaven (Miss.) | 14-4 | 155 |
| 16 | 14 | Graceland (Iowa) | 8-2 | 146 |
| 17 | 17 | Dalton State (Ga.) | 10-5 | 133 |
| 18 | 18 | Oklahoma Baptist | 6-7 | 124 |
| 19 | 19 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 7-3 | 117 |
| 20 | 20 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 3-9 | 109 |
| 21 | 21 | Tennessee Wesleyan | 14-2 | 100 |
| 22 | 23 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 9-5 | 86 |
| 23 | 22 | SCAD Savannah (Ga.) | 6-7 | 82 |
| 24 | RV | McPherson (Kan.) | 11-4 | 71 |
| 25 | 25 | Aquinas (Mich.) | 12-6 | 65 |
Others Receiving Votes: Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 36; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 36; Reinhardt (Ga.) 36; Indiana Wesleyan 34; Marian (Ind.) 10; Middle Georgia State 8; Southeastern (Fla.) 7; Pikeville (Ky.) 6; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 5; Friends (Kan.) 4.
