Oct. 19, 2010

Contact: Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Sports Information & Media Services, cwaller@naia.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – No. 1 Simon Fraser (B.C.) is just one of four teams to hold its position in the seventh edition of the NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 poll, the national office announced Tuesday. Simon Fraser, who holds the No. 1 spot for the sixth straight poll, joins No. 2 Rio Grande (Ohio), No. 3 Notre Dame (Ohio) and No. 4 Hastings (Neb.), to stay locked down. The remaining 21 teams shuffled with three of those being newcomers.

No. 21 Oklahoma Baptist made one of the biggest leaps this week. The ranking is the first for the Bison since Nov. 11, 2008 (No. 24). With a 9-3-1 record, Oklahoma Baptist has won three of its last four, including a 1-0 win over No. 10 Science & Arts (Okla.) on Oct. 12. The other newcomers are No. 24 McKendree (Ill.) and No. 25 Warner (Fla.). McKendree is back after a No. 21 (tie) ranking in the Preseason Top 25. Warner is mentioned in the Top 25 for the first time since Nov. 4, 2008 (No. 21).

Three teams dropped out of the Top 25 this week: No. 22 Bellevue (Neb.), No. 23 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) and No. 25 Embry-Riddle (Fla.).

The Clan is undefeated with a 12-0 record sporting 649 total points and 18 first-place votes in the poll. Simon Fraser notched two more shutouts last week against Trinity Western (B.C.) and Thompson Rivers (B.C.) to bring its season total to eight. Winners in 21 of its last 22 matches, Simon Fraser faces University of Mary on Tuesday and Western Washington on Saturday.

For as long as Simon Fraser has been ranked in the top spot (six weeks), No. 2 Rio Grande has been in the runner-up position. The Red Storm finished with 636 total points and five first-place nods this week. Rio Grande has tallied at least five first-place votes in each of the last six polls and been within 15 points of Simon Fraser in those rankings. With a 14-0 record, Rio Grande will be tested on Saturday when it travels to No. 7 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.). Before that, the Red Storm hosts St. Catharine (Ky.) on Tuesday. Besides totaling 10 shutouts on defense, Rio Grande ranks in the top-five nationally in all major offensive statistical categories, including second in assists per match (4.1) and second in goals per match (4.6).

Tied with Rio Grande for the most wins in the country, No. 3 Notre Dame is 14-0 on the season. The Falcons earned 611 points in the poll and is in the third spot for the fifth straight week. Averaging 4.5 goals per match, Notre Dame has outscored its opponents by a 63-6 mark. The Falcons tangle with Daemen (N.Y.) on Wednesday, followed by a Saturday match against Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.).

Hastings has locked down the No. 4 spot for five straight weeks, this time coming away with 590 total points. Undefeated at 13-0 after a 7-0 blanking of Sioux Falls (S.D.) on Oct. 16, the Broncos stand first in the

Great Plains Athletic Conference. Hastings has averaged 6.7 goals in its last three wins and ranks fourth nationally in overall scoring (4.46 gpg). On the docket this week is Midland (Neb.) on Wednesday and Northwestern (Iowa) on Saturday.

William Jewell (Mo.) moves up one spot to No. 5 and posted 563 total points. The top-five ranking is William Jewell’s first since Sept. 12, 2007 when the Cardinal were ranked No. 1. After a 7-0 shutout of Culver-Stockton (Mo.) on Oct. 16, William Jewell holds a 41-6 scoring advantage on the year. The Cardinal take their 13-0 record into a Saturday match at Missouri Valley.

The Golden States Athletic Conference (GSAC), Mid-South Conference (MSC) and the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) lead all conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups with three schools apiece in the Top 25. Four other conferences each land a pair of teams in the poll.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups. The eighth regular season Coaches’ Top 25 Poll will be announced on Oct. 26.

For more information on NAIA men’s soccer, please click here.

NOTES: By getting knocked out of the Top 25 this week, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) has its streak of 17 straight polls halted – that mark was the eighth longest active stretch… Rio Grande (Ohio) has been ranked in the top 10 for the last 19 straight polls, dating back to the start of the 2009 season… Notre Dame (Ohio) and Rio Grande are tied for the most wins (14) in the country… Overall, there are six programs without a defeat on the season… In eight polls this year (including Preseason Top 25), there have been 45 teams ranked… Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) is tied with Rio Grande (Ohio) for the most No. 1 mentions since 2000 at 31 times… Overall, there have been 14 different teams to claim the No. 1 spot during that span, led by Lindsey Wilson and Rio Grande (31) and followed by Bethel (Tenn.) (11), Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (9), Simon Fraser (B.C.) (6), Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (5) and Concordia (Calif.) (5)… Lindsey Wilson and Simon Fraser (B.C.) now hold the distinction of being consecutively ranked the longest among active schools -- 40 straight polls, dating back to the 2007 Preseason Top 25 Poll… Maine-Fort Kent is next in line with 36 straight rankings, followed by Rio Grande (Ohio) (34) and Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and Notre Dame (Ohio) tied at 27… Since 2000, two teams have rattled through the entire season ranked No. 1 --- Bethel in 2009 and Rio Grande during the 2004 season.

2010 NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – (Regular Season No. 7)

Others receiving votes:

Park University (Mo.) 102; Houghton College (N.Y.) 99; Bethel University (Tenn.) 81; University of Texas at Brownsville 78; Concordia University (Ore.) 58; Davenport University (Mich.) 49; University of Great Falls (Mont.) 44; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.) 27; Lambuth University (Tenn.) 25; Shorter University (Ga.) 22; Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) 22; Bellevue University (Neb.) 12; Baker University (Kan.) 12; Campbellsville University (Ky.) 10; Roberts Wesleyan College (N.Y.) 7; Missouri Valley College 7; The Master's College (Calif.) 6; Illinois Institute of Technology 6; Columbia College (Mo.) 5; Aquinas College (Mich.) 4; Friends University (Kan.) 3; Mount Mercy University (Iowa) 3; Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.) 1; Northwood University (Fla.) 1; Saint Thomas University (Fla.) 1; Mountain State University (W.Va.) 1; John Brown University (Ark.) 1; Bethel College (Ind.) 1; Biola University (Calif.) 1; Southern Polytechnic State University (Ga.) 1; Lyon College (Ark.) 1; Rogers State University (Okla.) 1

* Submitted by the raters and reflecting the overall record through games played Oct. 17