Statesmen Vault to #13

Oskaloosa–The Statesmen men’s basketball team has again improved nationally as the NAIA’s fourth top-25 poll was released Wednesday.

WPU, which is now 14-2 overall (10-0 Heart), jumped four spots from the last rating to #13 with 358 points. The Statesmen have now been ranked in the top 25 for 64 consecutive polls.

William Penn is one of three Heart of America Athletic Conference programs in the full poll. Evangel continues to also be in the top 25 at #18, while MidAmerica Nazarene is unofficially 28th.

College of Idaho is the NAIA’s new #1 with 558 points and 17 first-place votes. Oklahoma Wesleyan is second with two first-place nods, while Langston (Okla.) is third and owns the final first-place ballot. Southwestern (Kan.) and previous #1 Arizona Christian round out the top five.

William Penn returns to Oskaloosa Saturday to host #18 Evangel in Heart action at 2 p.m.

NAIA Men’s Basketball Rating #4 – January 11, 2022
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. College of Idaho (17)
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan (2)
3. Langston (Okla.)
4. Southwestern (Kan.)
5. Arizona Christian
6. Grace (Ind.)
7. Indiana Wesleyan
8. Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
9. Union (Ky.)
10. Thomas More (Ky.)
11. Indiana Tech
12. Montana Tech
13. William Penn
14. Jamestown (N.D.)
15. Georgetown (Ky.)
16. Marian (Ind.)
17. Kansas Wesleyan
18. Evangel (Mo.)
19. Faulkner (Ala.)
20. Morningside
21. Florida College
22. Loyola (La.)
23. LSU Shreveport
24. Menlo (Calif.)
25. Iowa Wesleyan

Receiving Votes: Saint Xavier (Ill.) 56, Texas A&M Texarkana 52, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 36, Antelope Valley (Calif.) 34, Dordt 34, Cornerstone (Mich.) 28, Science & Arts (Okla.) 28, Ottawa (Ariz.) 24, Thomas (Ga.) 23, Huntington (Ind.) 21, Tougaloo (Miss.) 20, Shawnee State (Ohio) 17, Corban (Ore.) 14, Rio Grande (Ohio) 12, Wayland Baptist (Texas) 10, Life (Ga.) 9, Madonna (Mich.) 4, Northwestern 4, Eastern Oregon 4, IU Kokomo (Ind.) 3.