KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two teams from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) were recognized in the first STADIONIC-NAIA Women's Soccer National Selection Committee (NSC) poll of the season. The poll is tranisitioning at this point from a coaches' vote to a NSC members's vote for the remainder of the 2026 season, and the NSC polls will be released on a bi-weekly schedule along with the Area Ratings Committee (ARC) standings.
Members of NSC each completed an individual ballot based on data like the ranking percentage index (RPI), area rating committee standings (ARC), overall record, strength of schedule (SOS), and conference record. This includes the same data being used come November when the selection committee is determining at-large teams and seeding the national championship field.
In this first NSC poll, Oklahoma Wesleyan University was ranked No. 24 and Friends University was part of the "Receiving Votes" category.
Check our more of the data the NSC used to rank teams by clicking the links below. The next ARC and NSC poll will be released on Wednesday, October 14.
TOP FIVE CAPSULES
1. Keiser (Fla.)
The Seahawks have played the fifth hardest schedule so far this season and has found ways to win matches when needed. As the top ranked team in the East ARC they sit second in the RPI. KU has put together a 3-0-1 streak since the release of the coaches’ poll on Sept. 16 as they are outscoring opponents 19-4 over that same time.
Keiser returns to the pitch on Oct. 7 when they travel to Ave Maria (Fla.). Opening kick is set to happen under the lights at 7 p.m. ET.
2. Indiana Wesleyan
The Wildcats have continued to climb this season. The top team in the north ARC has been tested early and often as well playing the 12th hardest schedule so far. This IWU squad travels extremely well too, with a perfect 6-0-0 mark in away matches. The Wildcats have been making a statement in what is sure to be a wild finish to the regular season in the Crossroads League.
Indiana Wesleyan returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 3 when they host Huntington (Ind.) at 4 p.m. ET.
3. Benedictine (Kan.)
After a stumble last week on the road, the Ravens bounced back with a nice victory in Iowa. As the top team in RPI, Midwest ARC standings, and second in SOS, Benedictine has the pieces to continue climbing as postseason play gets closer and closer. BC isn’t necessarily scoring a ton of goals, just 25 through nine games they rank 44th in total goals scored. Where the Ravens shine is defensively. Allowing just five goals total, they rank ninth among the nation in goals against average with a mark of .56.
Benedictine is on the road this weekend as they head to St. Louis for a match under the lights against Missouri Baptist.
4. College of Idaho
The Yotes are howling at the top of the West ARC with an 8-1-0 record. The lone blemish; well that was against non-NAIA foe Puget Sound. College of Idaho has been consistent averaging 2.67 goals per game, they are only allowing 1.11 goals per game thanks to Yote goal keepers posting a combined .714 save percentage.
The Yotes will make the trip west to Oregon for a Friday match against Eastern Oregon. Opening kick is set for 4 p.m. PT.
5. Grace (Ind.)
The Grace Lancers are another team to watch in the North ARC and could make the regular season action in Crossroads League play interesting. Sitting in fifth in the RPI and second in the North ARC, behind rival IWU, the Lancers have been battle tested so far with the 10th hardest schedule to this point. GC has been a tough team to score on while they find open teammates to put away goals. The Lancers are averaging 2.20 goals per game while allowing less than one at .60 per game.
Grace will have another big matchup in conference action with Marian (Ind.) on Saturday, Oct. 3 in a match that could adjust the North ARC standings.
FULL TOP 25 NSC RANKINGS
| RANK |
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] |
RECORD |
| 1 |
Keiser (Fla.) [5] |
8-0-2 |
| 2 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
9-1-2 |
| 3 |
Benedictine (Kan.) [3] |
9-1-0 |
| 4 |
College of Idaho |
8-0-1 |
| 5 |
Grace (Ind.) |
9-1-1 |
| 6 |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
5-1-3 |
| 7 |
Marian (Ind.) |
9-0-1 |
| 8 |
Truett McConnell (Ga.) |
7-1-1 |
| 9 |
Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) |
8-0-1 |
| 10 |
Taylor (Ind.) |
7-1-3 |
| 11 |
William Carey (Miss.) |
8-1-2 |
| 12 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
7-2-1 |
| 13 |
Clarke (Iowa) |
7-1-1 |
| 14 |
SCAD (Ga.) |
6-2-1 |
| 15 |
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) |
6-2-2 |
| 16 |
Tennessee Southern |
7-1-1 |
| 17 |
Columbia (Mo.) |
6-1-3 |
| 18 |
Spring Arbor (Mich.) |
8-2-1 |
| 19 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
5-3-1 |
| 20 |
John Brown (Ark.) |
6-1-2 |
| 21 |
Northwestern Ohio |
5-4-2 |
| 22 |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
10-2-1 |
| 23 |
Life (Ga.) |
6-1-2 |
| 24 |
Oklahoma Wesleyan |
6-2-2 |
| 25 |
Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) |
4-2-2 |
Receiving Votes: Bellevue (Neb.), Friends (Kan.), Georgia Gwinnett, LSU Shreveport (La.), Southern Oregon, Texas A&M -Texarkana, The Master’s (Calif.), Hastings (Neb.).
NOTE: A team’s ranking in the NAIA National Selection Committee (NSC) Poll does not guarantee a corresponding seed in the national championship.
—KCAC—