2015 NAIA Women?s Tennis Coaches? Top 25 Poll ? March 17
By Mike DeVader, Communications and Sports Information Intern
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the latest 2015 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the Grizzlies of Georgia Gwinnett are the No. 1 team in women’s tennis, the national office announced Tuesday. Georgia Gwinnett took home top billing No. 8 by gathering 343 points and all 13 first-place votes.
Georgia Gwinnett (4-4) is looking to build upon its first national championship a season ago over Embry-Riddle (Fla.), 5-4, in the NAIA Women’s Tennis National Championship final on May 17, 2014. Most recently, the Grizzlies are riding a three game winning streak after dropping four-consecutive matches. The top-ranked team took care of Cumberlands (Ky.), 9-0, earlier today and looks ahead to NCAA Division II Clayton State (Ga.) on March 25.
The 2014 national runner-up – Embry-Riddle – remains in the No. 2 position with 331 total points. No. 3 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (322 points) holds steady from last week. The rest of the top five includes fourth-ranked Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (310 points) and No. 5 Brenau (Ga.) (297 points), remains in the top five after the first eight schools were frozen in the same spots from the March 3rd poll.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions. For the entire 2015 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll schedule, click here.
The fourth regular-season edition of the Top 25 Poll will be released March 31.
Notes: (All information as of the 2000 season) Georgia Gwinnett earned its eighth all-time No. 1 ranking this week after winning its first-ever national championship in 2014… No. 3 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) leads all NAIA programs with 72 all-time No. 1 rankings… The Warhawks are followed by Brenau (Ga.) with 12, former-member Fresno Pacific (Calif.) with eight and Xavier (La.) with five… Auburn Montgomery topped each poll from Feb. 11, 2004, to May 1, 2010, a span of 47-straight No. 1 rankings, an NAIA record… The next closest streak is just eight by Fresno Pacific, which garnered the top selection in all eight polls in 2011… Auburn Montgomery has been ranked among the top five since April 2, 2003… Three teams held the No. 1 ranking in 2014: Auburn Montgomery, Georgia Gwinnett and Xavier.
2015 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll (March 17)
| RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2014-15 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Georgia Gwinnett (14) | 4-4 | 343 |
| 2 | 2 | Embry-Riddle (Fla.) | 7-3 | 331 |
| 3 | 3 | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | 14-2 | 322 |
| 4 | 4 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 3-6 | 310 |
| 5 | 5 | Brenau (Ga.) | 7-3 | 297 |
| 6 | 6 | SCAD Savannah (Ga.) | 5-2 | 288 |
| 7 | 7 | Xavier (La.) | 10-6 | 278 |
| 8 | 8 | Northwood (Fla.) | 5-3 | 266 |
| 9 | 10 | Arizona Christian | 14-0 | 249 |
| 10 | 9 | Oklahoma Baptist | 3-3 | 246 |
| 11 | 11 | Westmont (Calif.) | 7-5 | 229 |
| 12 | 13 | Concordia (Calif.) | 4-8 | 209 |
| 13 | 19 | Graceland (Iowa) | 1-2 | 191 |
| 14 | 16 | Indiana Wesleyan | 14-1 | 190 |
| 15 | 15 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 3-8 | 187 |
| 16 | 19 | Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) | 7-2 | 181 |
| 17 | 18 | Coastal Georgia | 6-4 | 168 |
| 18 | 12 | Davenport (Mich.) | 5-4 | 143 |
| 19 | 20 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 3-9 | 136 |
| 20 | 21 | William Carey (Miss.) | 6-5 | 114 |
| 21 | RV | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 4-3 | 113 |
| 22 | RV | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 6-4 | 112 |
| 23 | 24 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 8-2 | 98 |
| 24 | 22 | Northwestern Ohio | 5-5 | 88 |
| 25 | RV | Evangel (Mo.) | 1-3 | 87 |
Others Receiving Votes: Milligan (Tenn.) 76; Marian (Ind.) 46; Aquinas (Mich.) 44; Campbellsville (Ky.) 38; Missouri Valley 28; St. Thomas (Fla.) 26; LSU Alexandria 15; Bethel (Kan.) 11; Georgetown (Ky.) 5; Ashford (Iowa) 3; Reinhardt (Ga.) 3.
^ 2015 NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll (March 3)
