
National championship runner-up Concordia (Ore.) took over at No. 2 with 452 points after upending No. 1-seeded Lindsey Wilson, 2-1, in the Quarterfinals. The loss pushed the Blue Raiders back to third in the poll, with 437 points, to end their seven-week span at No. 1. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) moved to fourth with 413 points after an appearance in the Quarterfinals. Another quarterfinalist, fifth-ranked Mobile (Ala.), was one of two squads that retained their previous ranking, recording 412 points.
No. 19 Texas at Brownsville landed among the Top 25 for the first time in program history, dating back to 1999, after turning in a 17-3-1 season. Garnering rank for the first time since the 2009 campaign were No. 24 Siena Heights (Mich.) and No. 25 St. Ambrose (Iowa). The trio of newcomers played in the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Opening Round on Nov. 19. Graceland (Iowa) bowed out of the 28th annual event in the Second Round, but was rewarded with a spot on the poll at No. 16 after an eight-week absence. Carroll (Mont.) also returned at No. 23.
Seventeen conferences/independents/unaffiliated groups are represented throughout the Top 25, led by four squads from the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference: No. 9 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), No. 15 Judson (Ill.), No. 16 Trinity Christian (Ill.) and No. 20 Robert Morris (Ill.).
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences/independents/unaffiliated groups.
Notes: (All information dates back to 1999) Lee (Tenn.) returned to the top spot in the poll after spending the last seven editions listed second ... The Lady Flames were the preseason No. 1 .... Nine of the 13 polls this season, preseason and postseason included, have had a unanimous No. 1 ... There have been 36 different teams ranked in 2011 ... Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) owns the longest current active streak of consecutive appearances in the Top 25 with 136 ... Second-ranked Concordia (Ore.) is the only other program to occupy a spot in the poll 100-or more consecutive weeks with 115 ... Lee is a distant third with 97-straight mentions ... Lindsey Wilson owns the most No. 1 rankings all-time with 41, followed by Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (33), Westmont (Calif.) (19), Concordia (10) and Martin Methodist (Tenn.) (10) ... The Blue Raiders also lead the way with consecutive weeks at No. 1 with 13, spanning the 2004 - 05 seasons ... Lee is the first team to start and end its season at No. 1.
RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2011 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
1 | 2 | Lee (Tenn.) (17) | 23-2-0 | 467 |
2 | 7 | Concordia (Ore.) | 19-5-1 | 452 |
3 | 1 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 19-1-2 | 437 |
4 | 8 | Embry-Riddle (Fla.) | 17-3-1 | 413 |
5 | 5 | Mobile (Ala.) | 19-4-1 | 412 |
6 | 18 | Baker (Kan.) | 15-3-2 | 393 |
7 | 9 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 17-3-2 | 375 |
8 | 10 | Spring Arbor (Mich.) | 19-3-1 | 356 |
9 | 11 | Hastings (Neb.) | 19-3-1 | 352 |
10 | 23 | Oklahoma City | 17-3-2 | 323 |
11 | 13 | Cal State San Marcos | 14-4-1 | 300 |
12 | 17 | Houghton (N.Y.) | 17-4-1 | 299 |
13 | 15 | Judson (Ill.) | 16-3-2 | 277 |
14 | 12 | Northwood (Fla.) | 14-3-1 | 269 |
15 | 16 | Trinity Christian (Ill.) | 16-4-2 | 259 |
16 | RV | Graceland (Iowa) | 10-7-4 | 250 |
17 | 20 | Robert Morris (Ill.) | 14-5-2 | 224 |
18 | 22 | Bellevue (Neb.) | 14-2-3 | 204 |
19 | 23 | Westminster (Utah) | 12-7-2 | 187 |
19 | RV | Texas at Brownsville | 17-3-1 | 187 |
21 | 21 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 15-6-0 | 181 |
22 | 23 | Kansas Wesleyan | 16-2-2 | 171 |
23 | RV | Carroll (Mont.) | 12-4-2 | 112 |
24 | RV | Siena Heights (Mich.) | 13-8-0 | 107 |
25 | RV | St. Ambrose (Iowa) | 13-7-0 | 95 |
Others receiving votes: Ottawa (Kan.) 72; Northwest (Wash.) 69; Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 53; Reinhardt (Ga.) 41; Daemen (N.Y.) 33; Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) 22; Aquinas (Mich.) 18; Grand View (Iowa) 14; Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 10; Southern Oregon 3; Davenport (Mich.) 1; Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 1; Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) 1; St. Thomas (Fla.) 1; SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 1; Oklahoma Wesleyan 1.