League-Leading WPU Hops to #14
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–The Statesmen women’s basketball program has garnered the top spot in the conference and is inching closer to a top-10 spot as the NAIA released its fifth Division I rating Tuesday.
The Statesmen (23-2, 18-2 Heart), who have won six in a row and 15 of their last 16, improved four rungs from the last poll to #14 with 125 points. It is the program’s highest ranking since joining the NAIA in 2001-2002 and surely the highest ranking since the glory days of the 1970s and early 1980s.
WPU is one of five squads from the Heart of America Athletic Conference in the rating, but still trails #7 MidAmerica Nazarene in the poll, despite holding a one-game lead on the Pioneers and winning a head-to-head matchup two Saturdays ago 80-62. Benedictine, at #26, Central Methodist, at #27, and Clarke, at #34, are also in the rating’s receiving votes section.
The navy and gold are a combined 5-1 against the aforementioned quartet; they hit the road Wednesday to meet CMU at 5:30 p.m. in Fayette, Mo. The Statesmen also have neutral-site wins over current #17 Lyon (Ark.) and NAIA Division II #19 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) on their resume.
Columbia (Mo.) is the new #1 with 216 points and five first-place votes. Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) is second (three first-place votes) and Campbellsville (Ky.) is third (one first-place vote), while Montana Western and The Master’s (Calif.) complete the top five.
NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Rating #5 – February 12, 2019
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Columbia (Mo.) (5)
2. Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) (3)
3. Campbellsville (Ky.) (1)
4. Montana Western
5. The Master’s (Calif.)
6. Wayland Baptist (Texas)
7. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
8. Carroll (Mont.)
9. Vanguard (Calif.)
10. Oklahoma City
11. Talladega (Ala.)
12. Shawnee State (Ohio)
13. Bethel (Tenn.)
14. William Penn
15. Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)
15. Westmont (Calif.)
17. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
17. Lyon (Ark.)
19. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
20. LSU Alexandria
21. Arizona Christian
22. Menlo (Calif.)
23. Providence (Mont.)
24. Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
25. Loyola (La.)
Others Receiving Votes: Benedictine (Kan.) 43, Central Methodist (Mo.) 39, Xavier (La.) 26, Pikeville (Ky.) 19, Science & Arts (Okla.) 16, William Jessup (Calif.) 7, Clarke (Iowa) 3, William Woods (Mo.) 3.
