Statesmen Reach Top Ten as Spring Poll Released

William Penn University Athletics

Oskaloosa–The William Penn football team enters this summer as one of the hottest gridiron programs in the NAIA as the Association’s spring top 25 poll was released today.

The Statesmen, who were 10-1 last fall and shared the Midwest League title at 6-1, jump four spots from the last poll to #8 in the NAIA with 234 points.  It is the highest ranking for the program since joining the NAIA in 2001.

Defending national champion Carroll is the spring’s #1 with 340 points and all 15 first-place votes, while Saint Xavier (Ill.) is second.  MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), St. Francis (Ind.), and Morningside round out the top five.  Marian (Ind.) and Dickinson State (N.D.) are also ahead of the Statesmen in the rating.

William Penn is the highest-ranked team from the MWL, although St. Francis (Ill.), at #25, and Grand View, at #29, are also representing the league in the poll.  2010 co-champion McKendree is on its way to moving to NCAA Division II and will no longer be eligible for the NAIA rankings and playoffs.

The Statesmen remain the second-highest team from the state of Iowa behind #5 Morningside.

William Penn opens its 2011 season on Saturday, August 27 by hosting Iowa Wesleyan in MWL action at 6 p.m.