Statesmen Fall to #5 in NAIA’s Third Rating
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team fell for the first time this season, but fortunately did not take a big hit in the standings as the NAIA released its third top-25 poll Wednesday.
WPU (12-1, 4-1 Heart) fell two rungs to #5 with 477 points. It is the 55th-consecutive time the navy and gold have been in the top 25 and the 12th-straight time they have been in the top five.
The Statesmen are one of three representatives from the Heart of America Athletic Conference in the ranking. Central Methodist, the only team to defeat WPU this year, is up to #20, while Evangel is now in the receiving votes section in an unofficial tie for 35th.
Loyola (La.) is the NAIA’s new #1, holding it unanimously with 560 points and all 20 first-place votes. The remainder of the top five includes Carroll (Mont.), Talladega (Ala.), and Oklahoma Wesleyan, in that order.
The Statesmen are off until after the holiday break, returning to action on Wednesday, January 5 with a trip to Cedar Rapids to face Mount Mercy in Heart play at 7:30 p.m.
NAIA Men’s Basketball Rating #3 – December 15, 2021
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Loyola (La.) (20)
2. Carroll (Mont.)
3. Talladega (Ala.)
4. Oklahoma Wesleyan
5. William Penn
6. SAGU (Texas)
7. Grace (Ind.)
8. William Jessup (Calif.)
9. Indiana Wesleyan
10. Arizona Christian
11. Stillman (Ala.)
12. Jamestown (N.D.)
13. Thomas More (Ky.)
14. LSU Alexandria (La.)
15. Xavier (La.)
16. Science & Arts (Okla.)
17. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
18. College of Idaho
19. Kansas Wesleyan
20. Central Methodist
21. Georgetown (Ky.)
22. Marian (Ind.)
23. Concordia (Neb.)
24. Indiana-South Bend
25. Hope International (Calif.)
25. Saint Francis (Ind.)
Receiving Votes: Montana Tech 72, Pikeville (Ky.) 66, WVU Tech (W.Va.) 47, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 46, Bethel (Kan.) 45, Southeastern (Fla.) 40, Morningside 34, Florida College 27, Tennessee Wesleyan 23, Evangel (Mo.) 14, Indiana Tech 14, Menlo (Calif.) 13, Texas Wesleyan 12, Faulkner (Ala.) 6, Texas A&M Texarkana 3.
