KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two teams from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) were recognized in the first STADIONIC NAIA Men's Soccer National Selection Committee (NSC) poll of the season, the national office announced Thursday. 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.
Ottawa University was ranked inside the Top 10, coming in at No. 9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University was not too far behind, as the Eagles were ranked No. 12.
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. Cumberland (Tenn.)
Cumberland (Tenn.) ranks second in the nation with 38 goals and third with 32 assists, with David Barbakadze pacing the Phoenix with 10 goals this season. Cumberland picked up wins over Georgetown (Ky.), 5-0, and Georgia Gwinnett, 4-2, last week and will host No. 18 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) in a ranked matchup on Friday, Oct. 3.
2. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) has outscored its opponents 9-1 over its last two contests, including a 5-0 victory over Madonna (Mich.) and a 4-1 win over Judson (Ill.). The Tigers also recently had two players recognized as Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Players of the Week in goalkeeper Jacob Robinson and freshman forward Pablo Ortiz Suarez. Olivet Nazarene will face Governors State (Ill.) on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
3. Tennessee Southern
Tennessee Southern extended its unbeaten streak to eight games with victories over Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 3-2, and Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.), 2-1, last week. The FireHawks improved to 3-0 in conference play and will look to continue their unbeaten run against Thomas (Ga.) on Thursday, Oct. 1, before facing Brewton-Parker (Ga.) on Saturday, Oct. 3.
4. Indiana Tech
Indiana Tech has won six straight matches and enters the week with a 9-1-1 record. The Warriors have scored 11 goals over their last two contests, earning victories over Northwestern Ohio and Cleary (Mich.). Indiana Tech will take its winning streak on the road Saturday, Oct. 3, when it faces Lawrence Tech (Mich.).
5. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) continues to make its mark defensively, leading the nation with a .960 save percentage. Goalkeeper Lennart Fischer has posted a perfect 1.000 save percentage with eight shutouts this season as the Pioneers remain 5-0-1 in Heart of America play. MNU most recently defeated Park (Mo.), 4-0, and Missouri Baptist, 3-0, and will face Mount Mercy (Iowa) on Oct. 3 and Baker (Kan.) on Oct. 7.
FULL TOP 25 NSC RANKINGS
| RANK |
INSTITUTION |
RECORD |
| 1 |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
9-0-2 |
| 2 |
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
6-0-2 |
| 3 |
Tennessee Southern |
7-0-1 |
| 4 |
Indiana Tech |
9-1-1 |
| 5 |
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) [1] |
7-1-2 |
| 6 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
8-1-2 |
| 7 |
Life (Ga.) |
9-1-1 |
| 8 |
John Brown (Ark.) |
6-1-1 |
| 9 |
Ottawa (Kan.) |
8-1-1 |
| 10 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
4-3-1 |
| 11 |
William Penn (Iowa) |
4-0-5 |
| 12 |
Oklahoma Wesleyan |
6-1-1 |
| 13 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
5-2-2 |
| T-14 |
Faulkner (Ala.) |
9-2 |
| T-14 |
Stanton (Calif.) |
9-0-1 |
| 16 |
Southern Oregon |
6-0-1 |
| 17 |
Rio Grande (Ohio) |
5-1-1 |
| 18 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
5-4 |
| 19 |
Mid-America Christian (Okla.) |
9-1-1 |
| T-20 |
Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.) |
6-1-1 |
| T-20 |
William Carey (Miss.) |
7-2-2 |
| 22 |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
4-0-3 |
| 23 |
Columbia (Mo.) |
7-1-1 |
| 24 |
LSU Alexandria (La.) |
6-1-3 |
| 25 |
Bethel (Ind.) |
5-2-3 |
NOTE: A team’s ranking in the NAIA National Selection Committee (NSC) Poll does not guarantee a corresponding seed in the national championship.
—KCAC—