Statesmen Jump into Top Five at #4
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team has utilized its fastest start in school history to help it to its second-best ranking ever as the fourth NAIA Division II men’s basketball poll was released Tuesday.
The Statesmen (17-1) improved three positions to #4 (305 points). The position is only two rungs lower than its school-record best of #2 on January 30, 2008.
There are no longer any undefeated squads in the division. Eastern Oregon tops all programs with 342 points and 11 first-place votes. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) is second with the final two first-place votes, while Northwood (Fla.) is third and previous #1 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) is fifth.
Fellow Midwest Collegiate Conference program Mount Mercy joins WPU in the top ten at #9.
William Penn travels to Des Moines tonight (Wednesday) to face AIB in MCC action at 7:30 p.m.
NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Rating #4 – January 8, 2013
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Eastern Oregon (11)
2. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2)
3. Northwood (Fla.)
4. William Penn
5. Cardinal Stritch (Wis.)
6. Indiana Wesleyan
7. Northwestern
8. Davenport (Mich.)
9. Mount Mercy
10. Dordt
11. Warner Pacific (Ore.)
12. Grace (Ind.)
13. Rochester (Mich.)
14. Southern Oregon
15. Indiana-Southeast
16. Doane (Neb.)
17. St. Thomas (Fla.)
18. Indiana Tech
19. Ave Maria (Fla.)
20. Valley City State (N.D.)
21. Bethel (Ind.)
22. Northwest (Wash.)
23. Saint Xavier (Ill.)
24. Madonna (Mich.)
25. Cal-Maritime
25. Ozarks (Mo.)
Others receiving votes: Point (Ga.) 57; Briar Cliff 55; St. Mary (Kan.) 34; Oklahoma Wesleyan 30; Taylor (Ind.) 20; Indiana East 18; York (Neb.) 6; Dakota State (S.D.) 5; Hastings (Neb.) 4.
