William Penn Slips, Still Ranked
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–After a bit of inconsistent play to start the season, the Statesmen women’s golf team dropped a few spots as the NAIA’s first top-25 poll was released Friday.
WPU fell from #17 in the preseason poll to #25 with 104 points. Morningside is the only other team from the Heart of America Athletic Conference or the state of Iowa to be ranked, sitting at #29.
SCAD Savannah (Ga.) made a four-rung jump from fifth to first with 498 points and 17 first-place votes. Dalton State (Ga.) is second, while Brenau (Ga.) and SCAD Atlanta give the state of Georgia the top four spots in the poll. Brenau vaulted from unranked in the preseason poll all the way to #3. Cumberlands (Ky.) is tied with SCAD Atlanta to round out the top five. Previous #1 Oklahoma City, which fell to #7, has the only other first-place vote.
The navy and gold, who have one title and two second-place finishes to begin their campaign, tied the school 18-hole record at 302 in their last competitive round two weeks ago.
William Penn travels to Valley, Neb. next Monday and Tuesday to compete in the Bellevue Invitational. Play will be contested at The Pines Country Club.
NAIA Women’s Golf Rating #1 – September 29, 2017
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (17)
2. Dalton State (Ga.)
3. Brenau (Ga.)
4. SCAD Atlanta (Ga.)
4. Cumberlands (Ky.)
6. South Carolina Beaufort
7. Oklahoma City (1)
8. William Carey (Miss.)
8. Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
10. British Columbia
11. Texas Wesleyan
12. Keiser (Fla.)
13. Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
14. William Woods (Mo.)
15. Northwestern Ohio
16. Oregon Tech
17. Bethel (Ind.)
18. Southeastern (Fla.)
19. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
20. Faulkner (Ala.)
21. Milligan (Tenn.)
22. Marian (Ind.)
23. Taylor (Ind.)
24. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
25. William Penn
Others receiving votes: Corban (Ore.) 96, Cumberland (Tenn.) 77, Victoria (B.C.) 71, Morningside 54, Bellevue (Neb.) 45, Loyola (La.) 38, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 25, Southwestern Christian (Okla.) 25.
