Coaches' Poll - No. 2
Jan 31, 2012
By Jake Knabel, NAIA Communications & Sports Information Intern
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two-time defending national champion Fresno Pacific (Calif.) has regained its spot on top of the national rankings with the release of the second edition of this season’s NAIA Men’s Swimming & Diving Coaches’ Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The Sunbirds were ranked No. 3 in the first poll back on Dec. 6, but have vaulted to No. 1 by receiving all five first-place votes for a total of 30 points.
Fresno Pacific boasts four swimmers who have each recorded the top time in their respective individual events this season, including Marko Tanasovski (50-yard freestyle), Paul-Bernard Marie-Rose (100-yard freestyle), Robert Yribarren (1,000-yard freestyle) and Damien Bernard (100-yard butterfly). Those performances, combined with the Sunbirds’ unblemished dual meet record, allowed them to overtake the season’s first No. 1 Oklahoma Baptist, who fell to No. 2 with 18 points. Dennis Noyles of the Bison still leads the NAIA in the 1-meter, 6-dives and 3-meter, 6 dives categories.
Concordia (Calif.) moves up two spots to No. 3 with 17 points. SCAD Savannah (Ga.), led by one of the nation’s top swimmers in junior Alex Graudins, drops two places to No. 4 with 10 points. Cumberlands (Ky.), No. 4 in the previous poll, rounds out the top five with five points.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches from the NAIA Swimming & Diving Coaches Association. The next poll will be released on Feb. 24.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two-time defending national champion Fresno Pacific (Calif.) has regained its spot on top of the national rankings with the release of the second edition of this season’s NAIA Men’s Swimming & Diving Coaches’ Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The Sunbirds were ranked No. 3 in the first poll back on Dec. 6, but have vaulted to No. 1 by receiving all five first-place votes for a total of 30 points.
Fresno Pacific boasts four swimmers who have each recorded the top time in their respective individual events this season, including Marko Tanasovski (50-yard freestyle), Paul-Bernard Marie-Rose (100-yard freestyle), Robert Yribarren (1,000-yard freestyle) and Damien Bernard (100-yard butterfly). Those performances, combined with the Sunbirds’ unblemished dual meet record, allowed them to overtake the season’s first No. 1 Oklahoma Baptist, who fell to No. 2 with 18 points. Dennis Noyles of the Bison still leads the NAIA in the 1-meter, 6-dives and 3-meter, 6 dives categories.
Concordia (Calif.) moves up two spots to No. 3 with 17 points. SCAD Savannah (Ga.), led by one of the nation’s top swimmers in junior Alex Graudins, drops two places to No. 4 with 10 points. Cumberlands (Ky.), No. 4 in the previous poll, rounds out the top five with five points.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches from the NAIA Swimming & Diving Coaches Association. The next poll will be released on Feb. 24.
| RANK | PVS | SCHOOL (1ST-PLACE VOTES) | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 3 | Fresno Pacific (Calif.) (5) | 30 |
| 2 | 1 | Oklahoma Baptist | 18 |
| 3 | 5 | Concordia (Calif.) | 17 |
| 4 | 2 | SCAD Savannah (Ga.) | 10 |
| 5 | 4 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 5 |
