OIT Ranked No. 3 Again, 3 Others in Top 25
KANSAS CITY – Oregon Tech is ranked No. 3 nationally for the fourth consecutive week and is listed among the NAIA’s top 10 for the seventh consecutive ranking, according to the latest NAIA Top 25 poll released today by the NAIA office.
The Hustlin’ Owls (23-4, 12-3 CCC) extended to 60 their nation-leading streak of consecutive appearances in the NAIA’s regular season poll. OIT shares the honor with Walsh (Ohio), both of which have been in every poll since mid-January 2005.
Entering the final two weeks of the CCC’s regular season, league-leading OIT owns a half-game lead over second-place Eastern Oregon (18-6, 11-3), which made the biggest jump of any team in the Top 25 by moving from No. 20 to No. 13. EOU is coming off a victory over College of Idaho last week, the eighth win in the last nine outings for the Mountaineers.
Evergreen (17-7, 10-4) climbed four spots to the No. 21 position after going 1-1 last week, its only loss a road setbabck at OIT. Warner Pacific, which was swept in two home games over the weekend, dropped from seventh to a tie for No. 23. Evergreen hosts Warner Pacific Friday night in the lone CCC matchup involving CCC teams.
Veteran OIT coach Danny Miles goes after career win No. 900 Saturday when the Hustlin’ Owls host Southern Oregon at 7:30 p.m. in Klamath Falls. Only three other coaches at either the NCAA or NAIA levels have reached the 900-win mark.