2018 NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll — Poll One (September 4, 2018)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Spring Arbor (Mich.) checks-in on the top of the latest edition of the 2018 NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. After beginning the season with a perfect 2-0 record, William Carey (Miss.) ousted Benedictine (Kan.) from the No. 2 slot, as a shuffle began to occur in the Top 10. Marian (Ind.), Keiser (Fla.) and Oklahoma Wesleyan all moved into the Top 10 in the first regular season poll of 2018.
Top 25 Highlights (historical information dates back to 1999)
- Defending National Champion Spring Arbor (Mich.) grabbed 14 of 17 first place votes as their record remained unblemished with a 2-0-1 overall mark. University of Northwestern Ohio handed them their lone tie on August 29 in a 1-1 conclusion.
- The Cougars earned their third consecutive No. 1 overall ranking
- Just one team joined the Top 25 this week as Jamestown (N.D.) grabbed the final spot. The Jimmies are 3-1 on the year with just one loss to No. 13-ranked Columbia (Mo.) in Columbia.
- Spring Arbor continues to hold the longest active Top 25 Poll streak, moving to 86 consecutive appearances in the poll. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) holds the national record since 1999 with 203 consecutive appearances, which was stopped on Oct. 24, 2017. Keiser (Fla.) is right behind Spring Arbor; it checks in at No. 12 in the preseason poll, extending its streak to 84 weeks.
- Lindsey Wilson 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. Spring Arbor moves into a tie with Martin Methodist at 17.
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
2018 NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Poll One (September 4, 2018)
| RANK |
LAST WEEK |
SCHOOL [1st Place Votes] |
2018 RECORD |
TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 |
1 |
Spring Arbor (Mich.) [14] |
2-0-1 |
463 |
| 2 |
4 |
William Carey (Miss.) [1] |
2-0 |
443 |
| 3 |
2 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
2-0-1 |
431 |
| 4 |
7 |
Vanguard (Calif.) [1] |
4-0 |
414 |
| 4 |
6 |
Southeastern (Fla.) [1] |
4-0 |
414 |
| 6 |
5 |
Martin Methodist (Tenn.) |
3-0 |
411 |
| 7 |
8 |
Westmont (Calif.) |
3-0 |
371 |
| 8 |
11 |
Marian (Ind.) |
2-1 |
358 |
| 9 |
12 |
Keiser (Fla.) |
3-1 |
344 |
| 10 |
13 |
Oklahoma Wesleyan |
1-0 |
311 |
| 11 |
3 |
University of Northwestern Ohio |
0-2-2 |
306 |
| 12 |
9 |
Mobile (Ala.) |
2-1 |
274 |
| 13 |
10 |
Columbia (Mo.) |
1-1 |
255 |
| 14 |
16 |
Ottawa (Kan.) |
3-0 |
251 |
| 15 |
20 |
Science & Arts (Okla.) |
2-1 |
249 |
| 16 |
19 |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
3-0 |
246 |
| 17 |
24 |
John Brown (Ark.) |
3-1 |
217 |
| 18 |
20 |
Georgia Gwinnett |
3-0 |
205 |
| 19 |
14 |
Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) |
2-1 |
198 |
| 20 |
25 |
Eastern Oregon |
2-0 |
193 |
| 21 |
18 |
Central Methodist (Mo.) |
4-1 |
184 |
| 22 |
22 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
1-0 |
170 |
| 23 |
23 |
Hastings (Neb.) |
0-0-1 |
169 |
| 24 |
17 |
The Master's (Calif.) |
2-2 |
150 |
| 25 |
NR |
Jamestown (N.D.) |
3-1 |
90 |
Dropped from the Top 25: Tennessee Wesleyan
Others Receiving Votes: Taylor (Ind.) 78, Trinity Christian (Ill.) 71, Siena Heights (Mich.) 50, Midland (Neb.) 31, St. Thomas (Fla.) 24, Cumberlands (Ky.) 13, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 11, Tennessee Wesleyan 10, St. Thomas (Texas) 10, Bellevue (Neb.) 9, Concordia (Neb.) 8, Indiana Wesleyan 4, Missouri Valley 4, Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 3, Kansas Wesleyan 3