Texas-Tyler still No. 1 in NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll

April 04, 2019 / By mobanmarket

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There continues to be no change at the top of the NFCA Division III Top 25 poll. In fact, there are no changes in the top four spots in the rankings.

Texas-Tyler (20-2) continues to roll through the competition, topping the poll for the fifth straight week, and fourth time unanimously, following a three-game sweep of Howard Payne. Meanwhile, Emory (25-1) went 4-0 this past week, Christopher Newport (14-1) had both its scheduled games rained out and Texas Lutheran (20-1) was also unbeaten to remain the consensus choices in second through fourth.

Three-time defending national champion Tufts (1-2) finally started its season, and started slowly, going from fifth to a tie with surging Messiah (11-2) for 22nd. East Texas Baptist (18-4) and Washington (20-4) University stayed on the winning track to move up to No. 5 and No. 6, respectively.

Only five points separate 10th from 14th, with a single point between No. 10 Virginia Wesleyan (13-4), No. 11 Trine (9-5), No. 12 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (18-5-1) and No. 13 St. John Fisher (11-1), while Heidelberg (9-1) is just behind in 14th.

Whitworth (13-4) joins the poll for the first time this season at No. 24, while Wittenberg (12-1-1) is receiving votes for the first time in 2016. Alfred, Coe, Gustavus Adolphus and Wheaton (Mass.) all dropped out of the rankings this week.

The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Records through Sunday’s games are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses.

NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll – March 23, 2016

Rank Team 2016 Record Points Previous 1 Texas-Tyler (8) 20-2 200 1 2 Emory 25-1 192 2 3 Christopher Newport 14-1 184 3 4 Texas Lutheran 20-1 176 4 5 East Texas Baptist 18-4 162 6 6 Washington (Mo.) 20-4 151 T9 7 Luther 10-1 150 7 8 Berry 18-4 148 T9 9 Salisbury 14-3 145 8 10 Virginia Wesleyan 13-4 104 11 11 Trine 9-5 103 13 12 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 18-5-1 102 17 13 St. John Fisher 11-1 101 12 14 Heidelberg 9-1 99 14 15 Illinois Wesleyan 5-3 78 15 16 Alma 13-5 74 19 17 Birmingham-Southern 16-4 62 22 18 Central (Iowa) 12-6 51 21 19 Moravian 11-3 43 18 T20 Rowan 13-5 38 RV   St. Catherine 10-0 38 NR T22 Tufts 1-2 33 5   Messiah 11-2 33 25 24 Whitworth 13-4 32 NR 25 Linfield 13-8 23 16

Others receiving votes: Simpson 15, St. Thomas (Minn.) 15, Lake Forest 12, Wis.-Eau Claire 10, Wis.-Oshkosh 8, Cortland 7, William Paterson 6, Ramapo 2, Wittenberg 2 and Worcester Polytechnic Institute 1.

Dropped out: Alfred, Coe, Gustavus Adolphus and Wheaton (Mass.).