2017 NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll — No. 5
Story by Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Athletics Communications & Media
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the third-straight week, Martin Methodist (Tenn.) is the No. 1-ranked team in the fifth regular-season edition of the 2017 NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The RedHawks earned all 18 first-place votes and 498 total points.
Top 25 Highlights (historical information dates back to 1999)
- With a 10-0-0 start to the year, No. 1 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) begins Southern States Athletic Conference play Thursday at home against Brewton-Parker (Ga.) and Saturday against Middle Georgia State.
- The RedHawks are ranked No. 1 in the NAIA in assists per game (5.5) and No. 5 in total goals. They currently own a 45-6 scoring advantage, including six shutouts.
- The lone rookie this week – No. 25 Cumberland (Tenn.) – checks back into the Top 25 after a one-week absence. Most recently, the Phoenix took down then-No. 9 Mobile (Ala.) on Sept. 28.
- No. 12 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) boasts the longest active streak in the Top 25 with 200-consecutive mentions dating back to the start of the 1999 season. Behind Lindsey Wilson on the active list is No. 2 Spring Arbor (Mich.) at 78-straight Top 25 mentions and No. 8 Keiser (Fla.) at 76-straight.
- The Blue Raiders also own the most No. 1 rankings since 1999 with 58, followed by former member Azusa Pacific (Calif.) with 32, Westmont (Calif.) and former member Concordia (Ore.) with 19, former member Lee (Tenn.) at 16 and Spring Arbor with 14.
Poll Methodology
- The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, Association of Independent Institutions and Unaffiliated Groups.
- 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 ratings calendar, click here
2017 NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 5 (Oct. 3)
| RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2017 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Martin Methodist (Tenn.) (18) | 10-0-0 | 498 |
| 2 | 2 | Spring Arbor (Mich.) | 9-1-0 | 482 |
| 3 | 3 | University of Northwestern Ohio | 8-1-1 | 466 |
| 4 | 4 | William Carey (Miss.) | 8-0-0 | 449 |
| 5 | 5 | Columbia (Mo.) | 11-0-0 | 433 |
| 6 | 6 | Westmont (Calif.) | 9-1-1 | 420 |
| 7 | 7 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 8-3-0 | 399 |
| 8 | 8 | Keiser (Fla.) | 8-1-1 | 387 |
| 9 | 11 | The Master’s (Calif.) | 11-1-0 | 362 |
| 10 | 13 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 10-0-1 | 334 |
| 11 | 14 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 7-0-0 | 330 |
| 12 | 12 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 3-3-3 | 327 |
| 13 | 9 | Mobile (Ala.) | 7-2-0 | 299 |
| 14 | 15 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 8-1-1 | 274 |
| 15 | 21 | Oklahoma Wesleyan | 7-1-1 | 266 |
| 16 | 10 | Ottawa (Kan.) | 6-2-1 | 263 |
| 17 | 16 | Marian (Ind.) | 8-2-0 | 257 |
| 18 | 17 | Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) | 8-3-0 | 223 |
| 19 | 18 | Midland (Neb.) | 8-1-1 | 219 |
| 20 | 19 | Hastings (Neb.) | 8-1-1 | 204 |
| 21 | 20 | Taylor (Ind.) | 8-2-0 | 178 |
| 22 | 22 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 6-2-0 | 159 |
| 23 | 23 | John Brown (Ark.) | 8-2-0 | 151 |
| 24 | 24 | Georgia Gwinnett | 6-3-1 | 135 |
| 25 | NR | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 5-3-1 | 118 |
Dropped from Top 25: No. 25 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.).
Others Receiving Votes: Trinity Christian (Ill.) 82; Baker (Kan.) 37; Jamestown (N.D.) 36; Indiana Wesleyan 36; St. Ambrose (Iowa) 32; Antelope Valley (Calif.) 22; Bethel (Tenn.) 17; St. Thomas (Texas) 13; Eastern Oregon 10; LSU Alexandria 9; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 4; St. Thomas (Fla.) 3; Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 3.