Top 25 - No. 3
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) took over at No. 2 with 355 points after spending last week at No. 4. Following an 89-87 setback to seventh-ranked Concordia (Neb.), Briar Cliff (Iowa) dropped back to third with 350 points. Davenport (Mich.) shifted up to fourth with 342 points to separate itself from Morningside (Iowa), who is listed fifth with 320 points.
Nine teams retained their position among the Top 25, four of which were in the top 10: Indiana Wesleyan, Morningside, Concordia and No. 8 Hastings (Neb.). Seven squads improved their rank, highlighted by a three-spot jump by Saint Mary (Neb.) from 19th to 16th. Indiana Southeast took the biggest tumble backwards, dropping from No. 20 to 25.
Corban (Ore.) and St. Thomas (Fla.) return to the poll at Nos. 22 and 23 (tie), respectively, while No. 23 (tie) Daemen (N.Y.) makes its debut on the poll this season. The trio of newcomers replaces previously listed No. 22 Cornerstone (Mich.), No. 24 Warner Pacific (Ore.) and No. 25 Southwestern (Kan.).
The Great Plains Athletic Conference placed the most teams of any league in the poll with five: Briar Cliff, Morningside, Concordia, Hastings and No. 20 Northwestern (Iowa). The Mid-Central College Conference was second with four ranked teams: Indiana Wesleyan, No. 10 Bethel (Ind.), No. 17 Grace (Ind.) and No. 23 Marian (Ind.).
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents. The next poll will be announced on Jan. 9, 2012.
Notes: (All information as of the 1999 – 2000 season) Indiana Wesleyan has now appeared at the top of the poll on 17 occasions, ranking second all-time to Morningside’s (Iowa) 19 No. 1 rankings … Hastings (Neb.) has appeared at No. 1 a total of 13 times, followed by Saint Francis (Ind.) and Davenport (Mich.), who have both made a dozen No. 1 appearances … There have been 14 different teams to garner the No. 1 ranking all-time.
RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2011 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
1 | 1 | Indiana Wesleyan (14) | 11-0 | 374 |
2 | 4 | College of the Ozarks (Mo.) | 9-1 | 355 |
3 | 2 | Briar Cliff (Iowa) | 10-2 | 350 |
4 | 5 | Davenport (Mich.) | 9-2 | 342 |
5 | 5 | Morningside (Iowa) | 9-3 | 320 |
6 | 3 | Concordia (Mich.) | 11-1 | 319 |
7 | 7 | Concordia (Neb.) | 10-1 | 305 |
8 | 8 | Hastings (Neb.) | 9-2 | 280 |
9 | 10 | Eastern Oregon | 9-2 | 271 |
10 | 9 | Bethel (Ind.) | 11-2 | 263 |
11 | 11 | Mount Mercy (Iowa) | 8-4 | 258 |
12 | 12 | Kansas Wesleyan | 8-4 | 237 |
13 | 13 | Montreat (N.C.) | 9-2 | 227 |
14 | 14 | Grand View (Iowa) | 9-4 | 215 |
15 | 16 | Jamestown (N.D.) | 13-1 | 177 |
16 | 19 | Saint Mary (Neb.) | 11-3 | 165 |
16 | 17 | Grace (Ind.) | 9-4 | 165 |
18 | 15 | Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) | 8-4 | 162 |
19 | 18 | Union (Ky.) | 9-2 | 157 |
20 | 20 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 7-4 | 154 |
21 | 23 | Marian (Ind.) | 9-2 | 125 |
22 | RV | Corban (Ore.) | 6-4 | 123 |
23 | RV | Daemen (N.Y.) | 9-1 | 81 |
23 | RV | St. Thomas (Fla.) | 7-2 | 81 |
25 | 20 | Indiana Southeast | 8-4 | 66 |
Others receiving votes: Tennessee Wesleyan 60; Oregon Tech 56; Friends (Kan.) 52; Siena Heights (Mich.) 52; Saint Francis (Ind.) 52; Ave Maria (Fla.) 17; Cornerstone (Mich.) 16; Southwestern (Kan.) 15; Taylor (Ind.) 7; Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) 6; Warner Pacific (Ore.) 6; Milligan (Tenn.) 4; Southern Oregon 3; Aquinas (Mich.) 1; Mayville State (N.D.) 1; Huntington (Ind.) 1; Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 1; Cal State San Marcos 1; Doane (Neb.) 1.