William Penn Remains Third in NAIA’s First Poll
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–Near perfection through the first month of the year has helped the Statesmen men’s basketball team remain one of the top squads in the nation as the NAIA Division I poll was released Tuesday.
WPU (11-1, 1-1 Heart) started the year at #3 in the preseason rating and remains in that spot with 204 points. The program’s lone blemish came last weekend at Peru State.
The Statesmen are not the only representatives from the Heart of America Athletic Conference as Central Methodist (#16) and #MidAmerica Nazarene (#19) are in the top 25, while Benedictine is just outside at #28.
Georgetown (Ky.) is first with 218 points and seven first-place votes, while LSU Shreveport is second with one first-place nod. Carroll (Mont.), with the last first-place vote, and The Master’s (Calif.) round out the top five.
William Penn travels to Springfield, Mo. Saturday to face Evangel in Heart play at 4 p.m.
NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Rating #1 – December 5, 2017
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Georgetown (Ky.) (7)
2. LSU Shreveport (1)
3. William Penn
4. Carroll (Mont.) (1)
5. The Master’s (Calif.)
6. Columbia (Ky.)
7. Science & Arts (Okla.)
8. Pikeville (Ky.)
9. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
10. Hope International (Calif.)
11. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
12. Faulkner (Ala.)
13. Dalton State (Ga.)
14. LSU Alexandria
15. Wayland Baptist (Texas)
16. Central Methodist (Mo.)
17. Montana Western
18. Missouri Baptist
19. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
20. Mid-America Christian (Okla.)
21. Campbellsville (Ky.)
22. Vanguard (Calif.)
23. Oklahoma City
24. Langston (Okla.)
25. Life (Ga.)
Others Receiving Votes: Westmont (Calif.) 47; William Carey (Miss.) 40; Benedictine (Kan.) 30; Dillard (La.) 12; Central Baptist (Ark.) 11; SAGU (Texas) 8; Cumberlands (Ky.) 7; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 4; Xavier (La.) 4.
