William Penn Still 30th in First NAIA Poll
William Penn Women's Athletics
Oskaloosa–The Lady Statesmen linksters will open up their spring season with a national ranking nearly in their clutches as the first NAIA top-25 poll was released today.
William Penn is unofficially 30th with 13 votes. The squad held its position from November’s preseason poll.
The navy and gold were seventh out of nine teams at last year’s Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships, but quickly turned their fortunes around in the fall with two wins and two runner-up finishes.
The Lady Statesmen were also tenth at the NAIA Preview, a tournament that hosted 12 teams from this week’s rating (#2 Lee-Tenn., #5 Northwood-Fla., #6 William Woods-Mo., #7 South Carolina-Beaufort, #13 Cumberlands-Ky., #17 Bethel-Ind., #18 College of Idaho, #22 Point Loma Nazarene-Calif., #31 Bethel-Tenn., #35 Union-Ky., and #36 Mobile-Ala.).
Oklahoma City remains #1 with 342 points and 11 first-place votes, but its lead has shrunk with Lee (Tenn.) now holding 333 points and the other two first-place votes. Embry-Riddle (Fla.), British Columbia, and Northwood round out the top five. Oklahoma City was fourth at last year’s national championships.
Viterbo tops a trio of Midwest Collegiate Conference schools at #25, while Grand View is 36th.
William Penn opens its spring slate by hosting the Iowa Intercollegiate Championships next Saturday and Sunday at The Preserve Golf Course in Moravia.
NAIA Women’s Golf Rating #1 – March 16, 2012
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
(Iowa Institutions bolded)
1. Oklahoma City (11)
2. Lee (Tenn.) (2)
3. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
4. British Columbia
5. Northwood (Fla.)
6. William Woods (Mo.)
7. South Carolina-Beaufort
7. Shorter (Ga.)
9. Lubbock Christian (Texas)
10. Victoria (B.C.)
11. SCAD Savannah (Ga.)
12. Cal State-San Marcos
13. Cumberlands (Ky.)
13. Concordia (Ore.)
15. Westminster (Utah)
16. Oklahoma Christian
17. Bethel (Ind.)
18. College of Idaho
19. Wayland Baptist (Texas)
20. Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
21. Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
22. Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)
23. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
24. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
25. Viterbo (Wis.)
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma Baptist 60; Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 59; Cumberland (Tenn.) 35; Rogers State (Okla.) 32; William Penn 13; Bethel (Tenn.) 12; St. Francis (Ind.) 6; Texas at Brownsville 4; Madonna (Mich.) 4; Union (Ky.) 3; Grand View 1; Mobile (Ala.) 1; Morningside 1; Campbellsville (Ky.) 1.
