Statesmen Fourth in First NAIA Poll
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team extended its amazing streak of high recognition Tuesday as the NAIA released its first Division I rating.
The navy and gold (11-1, 5-1 Heart) dropped two spots from the preseason poll to #4 with 202 points. It marks the 19th-consecutive time the Statesmen have been in the top four in the NAIA (dating back to October 2016) and the 22nd time in a row they have been in the top 10 (dating back to February 2016).
WPU is one of four Heart of America Athletic Conference programs in the top 25; there are five in the entire rating. Benedictine is 15th, while Peru State is 17th and Graceland is 25th. MidAmerica Nazarene is unofficially 31st.
LSU Alexandria is the new #1 with 219 points and eight first-place votes, while preseason #1 The Master’s (Calif.) is second. Carroll (Mont.) is third and Campbellsville (Ky.), which has the last first-place vote, is fifth to round out the top five.
William Penn is home Saturday, hosting Peru State in Heart action at 4 p.m.
NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Rating #1 – December 4, 2018
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. LSU Alexandria (8)
2. The Master’s (Calif.)
3. Carroll (Mont.)
4. William Penn
5. Campbellsville (Ky.) (1)
6. Langston (Okla.)
7. Faulkner (Ala.)
8. Missouri Baptist
9. Georgetown (Ky.)
10. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
11. Stillman (Ala.)
12. Arizona Christian
13. Wiley (Texas)
14. Oklahoma City
15. Benedictine (Kan.)
16. Pikeville (Ky.)
17. Peru State (Neb.)
18. Central Baptist (Ark.)
19. Wayland Baptist (Texas)
20. Westmont (Calif.)
21. Cumberlands (Ky.)
22. LSU Shreveport
23. Dillard (La.)
24. John Brown (Ark.)
25. Graceland
Others Receiving Votes: Providence (Mont.) 50, William Carey (Miss.) 44, Hope International (Calif.) 44, Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 18, Tougaloo (Miss.) 17, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 7, Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) 6, Loyola (La.) 3, Science & Arts (Okla.) 3.
