By Chad Waller, Director of Communications and Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the first time since 2006, Johnson & Wales (Fla.) holds the No. 1 ranking in the 2015-16 NAIA Men’s Golf Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Friday. The third regular-season installment will be conducted on March 25, 2016.

Top 25 Highlights (historical information dates back to 2000):
• After holding a No. 7 spot in the Nov. 6 edition of the Coaches’ Poll, Johnson & Wales (Fla.) vaults up to the No. 1 position. The Wildcats capture eight first-place votes and 497 points.
• The Wildcats earn the top billing for the third time in school history. The last time they were No. 1 was March 31, 2006 – that week was the second-straight No. 1 ranking.
• Johnson & Wales becomes the third different team this year – in as many polls – to be ranked No. 1. Coastal Georgia and Keiser (Fla.) are also on that list.
• A mere one point back of Johnson & Wales, No. 2 William Woods (Mo.) checks in with 496 points and six first-place votes.
• Nos. 3-5 all grabbed the remaining first-place votes: No. 3 Wayland Baptist (Texas) (2), No. 4 Coastal Georgia (1) and No. 5 British Columbia (2).
• Only four programs held their position from the Nov. 6 edition.
• No. 17 Faulkner (Ala.) is the lone newcomer this time. The last ranking for the Eagles was April 10, 2015.
• Oklahoma City leads the NAIA with 39 all-time No. 1 rankings, followed by former member Oklahoma Christian (28) and Texas Wesleyan. Wayland Baptist (Texas) and Coastal Georgia are tied for third with five each.
• In 2015, Coastal Georgia, Oklahoma City, and William Woods held the No. 1 spot at least once during the season. All-time 11 teams have held the position at least once.
• Oklahoma City has never been ranked outside the top 5 and is the only Preseason No. 1 team to go on to win the national championship during the same season – 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2010.

Poll Methodology
• The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions.
• The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place and so on through the list.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low ratings) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appears on.
• Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered “receiving votes”
• For the complete Top 25 calendar, click here.

2015-16 NAIA Men’s Golf Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 2 (March 11)

Dropped from the Top 25: No. 24 Mobile (Ala.).

Others receiving votes: William Jessup (Calif.) 67; Thomas (Ga.) 55; Mobile (Ala.) 46; Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) 43; Reinhardt (Ga.) 43; Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 41; St. Thomas (Fla.) 18; St. Gregory's (Okla.) 18; Cumberland (Tenn.) 15; Northwestern (Iowa) 12; Tennessee Wesleyan 8; Bellevue (Neb.) 5; Warner (Fla.) 3.