KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Northwood (Fla.) remains in the No. 1 position in the fourth edition of the 2011 – 12 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, announced Monday by the national office. The top ranking is the second-straight for the Seahawks as they pull in all 14 first-place votes and 374 total points. Northwood headlines a group of the top four teams to hold their spots from the Dec. 12 edition.

A 101-60 victory over Haskell (Kan.) on Jan. 7 was the 13th in-a-row for Northwood. The Seahawks rank third in the NAIA in scoring offense (90.13 ppg), having hit the 100-point mark five times. The one setback was a one-point loss at NCAA Division II Northwood (Mich.) on Nov. 14.

With the best win percentage in the NAIA (.944), No. 2 Dordt (Iowa) checks in with 360 total points. Third-ranked Oregon Tech captured 348 total points. The Owls are tied for the early lead in the Cascade Collegiate Conference standings with a 6-1 league mark.

Holding at the No. 4 spot with 336 points, Davenport (Mich.) notched a signature win over then-No. 21 Madonna (Mich.) on Jan. 7 by a 79-69 score. No. 5 Grace (Ind.) improved two positions with 331 total points. The Lancers took down two top-20 opponents last week, then-No. 12 Goshen (Mich.) and then-No. 19 Taylor (Ind.).

With the losses, Goshen and Taylor were two of six teams to fall out of the poll. Replacing them were: No. 16 Southwestern (Kan.), No. 18 Saint Francis (Ind.), No. 21 Briar Cliff (Iowa), No. 22 Huntington (Ind.), No. 23 Valley City State (N.D.) and No. 25 St. Ambrose (Iowa).

For the first time since the 2007-08 season, Southwestern and Valley City State earn a ranking. Southwestern was last in the Top 25 on Dec. 5, 2007 (No. 19), while Valley City State earned a No. 24 spot in the Feb. 13, 2008, installment. St. Francis and St. Ambrose hop back in to the Top 25 after being ranked earlier this season. Briar Cliff and Huntington were nationally recognized last year.

The Mid-Central College Conference leads all leagues and independents with four ranked members: Grace, No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 18 St. Francis and No. 22 Huntington. The Cascade Collegiate Conference, Great Plains Athletic Conference and The Sun Conference all claim three schools in the Top 25. Overall, 11 conferences/independents/unaffiliated groups are represented this week.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents. The fifth regular-season Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll will be announced on Jan. 16.

NOTES: (All information dates back to 1999 – 2000) Northwood (Fla.) was the unanimous No. 1 pick, which marks the first time for any program to earn all top votes this season… There have been 42 different teams to be ranked at least once this season… No. 5 Grace (Ind.) has been in the top 10 in all five polls this year – before this season, the Lancers had not reached the top 10 since the 1992-93 season… No. 12 Northwest (Wash.) was the last undefeated team to lose, with that setback coming on Jan. 6 after the Eagles started 14-0… No. 3 Oregon Tech has spent 13-straight polls ranked in the top five… Embry-Riddle (Fla.) owns the most No. 1 rankings since 2000 with 17; No. 3 Oregon Tech, Oklahoma Wesleyan and former NAIA member Walsh (Ohio) have posted 12 mentions at No. 1… Oregon Tech is listed with the longest active streak in the Top 25 at 80-straight weeks -- the last time the Hustlin’ Owls were not ranked was on Jan. 11, 2005… In second place is No. 1 Northwood (Fla.) with 45-consecutive mentions.

2011-12 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – (Jan. 9)

RANK	LAST WEEK^	SCHOOL (1st PLACE VOTES)	2011-12 RECORD	TOTAL POINTS
1	1	Northwood (Fla.) (14)	14-1	374
2	2	Dordt (Iowa)	17-1	360
3	3	Oregon Tech	17-2	348
4	4	Davenport (Mich.)	16-2	336
5	7	Grace (Ind.)	15-2	331
6	5	McPherson (Kan.)	16-2	306
7	9	Bellevue (Neb.)	12-4	287
8	17	Warner Pacific (Ore.)	14-4	284
9	11	Cardinal Stritch (Wis.)	14-4	271
10	13	Jamestown (N.D.)	16-4	265
11	8	Indiana East	15-4	263
12	10	Northwest (Wash.)	16-1	256
13	14	Northwestern (Iowa)	13-4	225
14	6	Indiana Wesleyan	12-6	216
15	15	Southeastern (Fla.)	10-5	196
16	RV	Southwestern (Kan.)	15-2	172
17	18	Warner (Fla.)	11-4	171
18	NR	Saint Francis (Ind.)	13-5	169
19	24	Indiana Southeast	12-6	155
20	25	Indiana Tech	12-3	129
21	RV	Briar Cliff (Iowa)	12-6	122
22	NR	Huntington (Ind.)	12-6	112
23	RV	Valley City State (N.D.)	14-5	103
24	20	Grand View (Iowa)	9-4	82
25	NR	St. Ambrose (Iowa)	10-7	71

Others receiving votes: Goshen (Ind.) 66; Saint Mary (Kan.) 56; Southern Oregon 51; Eastern Oregon 42; Morningside (Iowa) 29; Daemen (N.Y.) 25; Iowa Wesleyan 14; St. Thomas (Fla.) 13; Spring Arbor (Mich.) 13; College of the Ozarks (Mo.) 9; Bluefield (Va.) 7; Dakota State (S.D.) 3; Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 3; Concordia (Mich.) 1; Ashford (Iowa) 1; Point Park (Pa.) 1; Clarke (Iowa) 1; Midland (Neb.) 1; Tennessee Wesleyan 1.

^ Indicates ranking from Dec. 12, 2011