Back on Top!! Statesmen #1 for First Time in NAIA Division I
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team has been amongst the nation’s best teams for the last two seasons, but has finally cracked the top spot as the third NAIA Division I poll was released Tuesday.
WPU (16-1, 6-1 Heart) has 215 points and four first-place votes to take over #1 for the first time since joining Division I two years ago. It is not the first occurrence for the navy and gold at #1, however, as they held the highest position three times during the 2012-2013 campaign with the last time coming on February 27, 2013.
The program’s streak of being in the top five has now stretched to 13 consecutive polls; William Penn is in the top 10 for the 16th-straight rating.
The Statesmen, who lead the country in scoring at 105.5 points per game, narrowly held off Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), which is second with 211 points and four first-place votes. LSU Shreveport has the final first-place vote to sit in third, while The Master’s (Calif.) is fourth; previous #1 Georgetown (Ky.) is tied with Columbia (Mo.) for fifth.
WPU is joined in the top 10 by another one-loss Heart of America Athletic Conference program in Central Methodist; the Eagles move up to ninth. Peru State, which handed the Statesmen their lone loss this year, are also now in the receiving votes section at #28.
William Penn travels to Dubuque Wednesday to face Clarke in Heart play at 7:30 p.m.
NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Rating #3 – January 16, 2018
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. William Penn (4)
2. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (4)
3. LSU Shreveport (1)
4. The Master’s (Calif.)
5. Georgetown (Ky.)
5. Columbia (Ky.)
7. Hope International (Calif.)
8. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
9. Central Methodist (Mo.)
10. Carroll (Mont.)
11. Wayland Baptist (Texas)
12. Pikeville (Ky.)
13. Dalton State (Ga.)
13. LSU Alexandria
15. Science & Arts (Okla.)
16. Montana Western
17. Missouri Baptist
18. Cumberlands (Ky.)
19. William Carey (Miss.)
20. Westmont (Calif.)
21. Oklahoma City
22. Xavier (La.)
23. Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)
24. Faulkner (Ala.)
25. Life (Ga.)
Others Receiving Votes: SAGU (Texas) 33; Vanguard (Calif.) 33; Peru State (Neb.) 24; Langston (Okla.) 17; Montana State-Northern 14; Campbellsville (Ky.) 10; Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) 10; Talladega (Ala.) 3; Texas Wesleyan 3.
