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1. Dordt (Iowa)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 28 Northwestern (Iowa), Jan. 31 Mount Marty (S.D.), Feb. 7 College of Saint Mary (Neb.)
Top-ranked Dordt has powered its way to a 19-1 start behind one of the most efficient and balanced offenses in the NAIA. The Defenders have topped 90 points nine times this season, including a season-high 117 in a dominant win over Waldorf, and they’ve shot better than 50 percent from the field in six contests. Dordt’s lone setback—a narrow five-point road loss at Doane on Dec. 6—did little to slow the momentum, as the team responded with an 11-game winning streak fueled by versatility at all three levels. Junior standout Gracie Schoonhoven anchors the attack with 22.9 points per game on an elite 64.2 percent shooting clip, while senior Macy Sievers adds 15.3 points per outing and serves as the team’s primary playmaker. With a deep rotation featuring multiple sharpshooters—most notably Willow Bleeker and freshman Aubrey Burkhart—the Defenders average 84.2 points and shoot over 44 percent as a team, pairing their offensive firepower with a 13-1 conference mark and an unbeaten 9-0 record at home. |
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2. Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 24 Cumberland (Tenn.), Jan. 29 Georgetown (Ky.), Jan. 31 Cumberlands (Ky.), Feb. 3 Rust (Miss.), Feb. 7 Bethel (Tenn.)
Freed-Hardeman has surged to a 19-1 record and the No. 2 position in the national poll. The Lions opened the season with 14 straight victories and have surpassed 80 points nine times, fueled by consistent shooting—topping 50 percent from the field in seven games—and elite perimeter accuracy. Sophomore forward Lilly Kee has been a dominant interior presence, averaging 15.7 points per game while shooting an extraordinary 67 percent from the floor and 91.1 percent at the free-throw line. Jenna Satterly adds another major scoring threat at 14.8 points per contest, knocking down nearly 59 percent of her three-point attempts, while veteran guards Rachel Satterly and Carissa Curtis stretch defenses with a combined 83 made threes. Freed-Hardeman has paired its offensive prowess with smothering defense, holding 11 opponents under 55 points and allowing more than 60 just twice in its last 13 outings. With a perfect 9-0 home record, a 7-1 mark on the road, and wins over multiple ranked or near-ranked opponents—including Campbellsville and Bethel (Tenn.). |
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3. Bethel (Tenn.)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 29 Cumberlands (Ky.), Jan. 31 Georgetown (Ky.), Feb. 5 Cumberland (Tenn.), Feb. 7 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
Bethel (Tenn.) holds a 19-2 record, opening the season with 14 straight wins and eclipsing 80 points nine times. The Wildcats feature remarkable balance across the roster, headlined by sophomore guard Micah Hart, who leads the team with 19.8 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting and an elite 42 percent from beyond the arc. Mikee Buchanan provides another dynamic scoring option at 15.3 points per outing while knocking down 42.5 percent of her threes, and forward Adalyn Koelling has emerged as a highly efficient contributor off the bench at 53.3 percent from the field. Bethel’s offense has been particularly dangerous from long range, averaging more than 10 made threes in several marquee wins—including dominant performances against Haskell (Kan.), Texas A&M–San Antonio, and Faulkner (Ala.). Even in their two losses, the Wildcats remained competitive, including a narrow road setback at Tennessee Southern and a defensive battle with No. 2 Freed-Hardeman. The Wildcats currently have a 7-1 road record, a 9-1 home mark, and an experienced core that shoots over 48 percent as a team. |
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4. Campbellsville (Ky.)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 29 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), Feb. 2 Cumberlands (Ky.), Feb. 5 Georgetown (Ky.), Feb. 7 Cumberland (Tenn.)
Campbellsville boasts a 17-3 record on the season. The Tigers opened the year with 13 straight wins and eclipsed the 90-point mark six times, including a season-high 113 against Carolina on Jan. 4. Senior Whitney Hay has been a force in the frontcourt, averaging 17.4 points per game on an impressive 55.6 percent shooting clip, while Dea Bradley and freshman Lainey Johnson provide consistent scoring on the perimeter with a combined 44 made threes. Campbellsville has paired high-octane scoring with elite defense, holding nine opponents to fewer than 50 points and limiting teams to under 40 percent shooting in 11 contests. Despite a midseason stretch that included narrow losses to ranked opponents Bethel (Tenn.) and Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), the Tigers remain one of the nation’s most explosive teams, boasting a 10-3 home record, a perfect 6-0 mark at neutral sites, and a plus-29 scoring margin on the year. |
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5. Marian (Ind.)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 28 Spring Arbor (Mich.), Jan. 31 Goshen (Ind.), Feb. 4 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio), Feb. 7 Taylor (Ind.)
Marian has surged to an impressive 18-2 start as the Knights opened the year with 15 straight victories, surpassing 80 points nine times and shooting better than 50 percent from the field in eight contests. Senior Abbey McNally has been nearly unstoppable in the paint, averaging 19.0 points per game on a stellar 60.5 percent shooting, while sister Kiley McNally and guards Madisyn Bailey, Kenna Kirby, and Taylor Double give Marian a balanced perimeter attack with four players averaging between 8 and 9 points per outing and shooting above 43 percent from the floor. The Knights’ defensive consistency has been equally strong, holding 12 opponents to under 50 points and defeating ranked foes such as Cumberlands (Ky.) and Indiana Wesleyan. Even in their two setbacks—against Saint Francis (Ind.) and Huntington (Ind.)—Marian remained competitive and responded with convincing wins in the following outings. With a 9-1 home record, a 7-1 mark on the road, and scoring margins consistently above 20 points, the Knights remain a powerful force atop the Crossroads League. |
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6. Saint Francis (Ind.)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 28 Grace (Ind.), Jan. 31 Indiana Wesleyan, Feb. 4 Bethel (Ind.), Feb. 7 Goshen (Ind.)
Saint Francis (Ind.) has boasts a 19-1 start, riding a 10-game winning streak and a perfect 8-0 home record into the heart of Crossroads League play. The Cougars have been dominant defensively—holding 10 opponents under 50 points—and equally dangerous on the offensive end, surpassing 80 points seven times and shooting above 50 percent in nine contests. Sophomore forward Cali Gregory anchors the lineup with 15.4 points per game on 51.6 percent shooting and a team-leading 45.2 percent from beyond the arc, while Renna Schwieterman, Isabella Gizzi, and Taylor Fordyce form a remarkably efficient scoring trio, each shooting above 46 percent from the field. Senior Julia Mantyla adds another layer of versatility at 55.7 percent shooting and 42.6 percent from three. |
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7. Dakota State (S.D.)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 30 Valley City State (N.D.), Jan. 31 Mayville State (N.D.), Feb. 6 Rocky Mountain (Mont.), Feb. 7 Carroll (Mont.)
Dakota State has put together a strong 17-3 campaign behind an explosive perimeter-driven offense and a perfect 10-0 record at home. The Trojans have topped 90 points seven times—including a 105-point outburst at Bellevue (Neb.)—and own wins over several ranked or receiving-votes opponents thanks to their pace, volume shooting, and depth. Senior forward Tabor Teel anchors the attack with 15.9 points per game on 51.9 percent shooting, while guards Caitlin Dyer and Cierra Watkins provide an efficient one-two punch on the perimeter, combining for 44 made threes and shooting above 49 percent from the field. Dakota State’s three-point firepower has been a defining trait, with five players hitting 10 or more threes and the team knocking down double-digit triples in eight games, including 16 against Northwestern (Iowa) and 15 against Providence (Mont.). Defensively, the Trojans have held 10 opponents under 65 points and continue to force teams into low-percentage looks from the field. |
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8. Rio Grande (Ohio)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 29 Midway (Ky.), Jan. 31 St. Mary-of-the-Woods (Ind.), Feb. 3 Shawnee State (Ohio), Feb. 7 Oakland City (Ind.)
Rio Grande has opened the season with a dominant 19-1 record, powering its way to ten straight wins and a perfect 8-0 record on the road. The RedStorm have topped the 100-point mark seven times—including a dominant 121-66 victory at IU Columbus (Ind.)—and are shooting above 47 percent from the field as a team. Senior forward Marlee Grinstead anchors the attack with 15.6 points per game on 52.9 percent shooting and an elite 85.7 percent from the free-throw line, while freshman standout Allie Ellyson adds 13.1 points per outing and consistently creates pressure off the dribble. Rio Grande’s depth is unmatched, with six players averaging double-figure scoring and five shooting above 52 percent from the floor. The RedStorm’s balance has fueled wins over strong opponents like Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), WVU Tech (W.Va.), and Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio), and even in their lone loss—a competitive matchup with top-five Marian—Rio held its own. |
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9. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 28 Briar Cliff (Iowa), Jan. 31 Hastings (Neb.), Feb. 8 Doane (Neb.)
Dakota Wesleyan continues to climb behind one of the hottest streaks in the NAIA, riding an 11-game win streak to a 17-4 record and a perfect 10-0 mark at home. The Tigers have been dominant at both ends of the floor during that stretch, topping 90 points four times and shooting better than 48 percent as a team in five of their last eight outings. DWU’s balanced and efficient offense features four starters shooting at least 48 percent from the field, led by junior forward Emma Yost’s team-best 14.8 points per game and 49.4 percent shooting. Avery Broughton and Rylee Rosenquist add consistent scoring from the perimeter, while Shalayne Nagel provides a reliable two-way presence at 48.2 percent from the floor. Dakota Wesleyan has paired its scoring depth with defensive consistency, allowing fewer than 60 points in eight games and holding opponents below 35 percent shooting multiple times. With a 13-2 GPAC record and momentum building, the Tigers continue to establish themselves as one of the league’s toughest and most well-rounded teams. |
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10. Concordia (Neb.)
Games prior to next poll: Jan. 28 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), Jan. 31 College of Saint Mary (Neb.), Feb. 4 Northwestern (Iowa), Feb. 7 Midland (Neb.)
Concordia (Neb.) has pieced together a strong 16-5, averaging more than 82 points per game and topping the 90-point mark six times. The Bulldogs opened the year with nine straight victories, fueled by efficient shooting—topping 50 percent from the field in five of those wins—and depth across every position group. Freshman standout Abby Lee has been a major catalyst, leading the team with 19.4 points per game on 51.3 percent shooting, while senior Mallie McNair adds 18.7 points per contest with a team-best 86 percent mark at the free-throw line. Concordia’s perimeter presence is balanced between three players shooting better than 35 percent from deep, and the Bulldogs’ high-pressure style has produced several explosive performances, including a 104-41 rout of Waldorf on Jan. 22. Despite recent challenges in conference play, including a road loss at Hastings, Concordia remains one of the GPAC’s most dangerous and aggressive scoring teams, boasting an 8-3 home record and multiple marquee wins against league contenders. |