KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two teams from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) were ranked in the Top 20 in the latest edition of the STADIONIC NAIA Men's Soccer National Selection Committee (NSC) Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Wednesday. Updated area rating committee (ARC) reports and ranking percentage index (RPI) standings were also published.
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 dropped down three spots to No. 12, and was joined in the Top 20 by Oklahoma Wesleyan University, who dropped four spots to No. 16.
Below are links to the updated ARC Reports and RPI Standings.
The next STADIONIC NAIA Men's Soccer National Selection Committee Top 25 Poll is scheduled to be released Wednesday, October 28.
TOP FIVE CAPSULES
1. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) has won four straight games, outscoring its opponents 17-2 during that stretch. The Tigers most recently defeated Governors State (Ill.), 6-1, and Indiana Northwest, 2-0. With the winning streak intact, Olivet Nazarene returns home to host St. Francis (Ill.) on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m. CT.
2. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) continued its defensive success with back-to-back 1-0 victories over Baker (Kan.) and Grand View (Iowa). The Pioneers lead the NAIA with a 0.15 goals-against average, 11 shutouts and a .938 save percentage. Goalkeeper Lennart Fischer has been a key part of that effort, leading the nation in goals-against average (0.08), save percentage (.966) and shutouts (10). MidAmerica Nazarene next faces Graceland (Iowa) on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
3. Cumberland (Tenn.)
Cumberland (Tenn.) remains among the NAIA’s unbeaten teams with a 9-0-4 record after playing to draws against Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 0-0, and Cumberlands (Ky.), 1-1. The Phoenix have been led offensively by David Barbakadze, who has scored 10 goals, while Luis Cerejo has added eight. Cumberland will look to maintain its unbeaten record when it hosts Faulkner (Ala.) in a ranked matchup on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
4. Life (Ga.)
Life (Ga.) is tied for second nationally with 51 goals scored and sits fifth in shots on goal with 136. The Running Eagles most recently played to a 1-1 draw against Cumberlands (Ky.) and will return home to face Dalton State (Ga.) on Saturday, Oct. 17. Enrico Burigotto has been a key contributor to the offense, tied for first nationally with six game-winning goals and tied for fourth with 15 goals scored.
5. Indiana Wesleyan
Indiana Wesleyan is riding a seven-game winning streak and remains unbeaten in Crossroads League play with a 5-0 record. The Wildcats most recently recorded an 8-0 victory over Goshen (Ind.). They rank third nationally in total shots with 255 and are tied for fifth in the NAIA with 37 assists. Indiana Wesleyan continues its schedule against Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) on Wednesday, Oct. 14, before hosting Saint Francis (Ind.) on Saturday, Oct. 17.
FULL TOP 25 NSC RANKINGS
| RANK |
LAST TIME |
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] |
RECORD |
| 1 |
2 |
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
8-0-2 |
| 2 |
5 |
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) |
10-1-2 |
| 3 |
1 |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
9-0-4 |
| 4 |
7 |
Life (Ga.) |
11-1-2 |
| 5 |
6 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
11-1-2 |
| 6 |
19 |
Mid-America Christian (Okla.) |
11-1-2 |
| 7 |
T-14 |
Faulkner (Ala.) |
12-2 |
| 8 |
22 |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
8-0-3 |
| 9 |
17 |
Rio Grande (Ohio) |
8-1-1 |
| 10 |
11 |
William Penn (Iowa) |
7-0-6 |
| 11 |
18 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
7-4-1 |
| 12 |
9 |
Ottawa (Kan.) |
10-1-2 |
| 13 |
4 |
Indiana Tech |
10-2-2 |
| 14 |
8 |
John Brown (Ark.) |
7-3-1 |
| 15 |
16 |
Southern Oregon |
9-1-1 |
| 16 |
12 |
Oklahoma Wesleyan |
9-1-2 |
| 17 |
13 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
7-4-2 |
| 18 |
10 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
7-2-1 |
| 19 |
T-20 |
William Carey (Miss.) |
9-2-2 |
| 20 |
24 |
LSU Alexandria (La.) |
8-2-3 |
| 21 |
NR |
Bellevue (Neb.) |
10-4-1 |
| 22 |
T-14 |
Stanton (Calif.) |
11-0-1 |
| 23 |
25 |
Bethel (Ind.) |
7-3-3 |
| 24 |
23 |
Columbia (Mo.) |
9-1-1 |
| 25 |
NR |
Grand View (Iowa) |
6-5-2 |
UT Southern (Tenn.) and Benedictine Mesa (Ariz.) have dropped from the Top 25.
Note: A team’s ranking in the NAIA National Selection Committee (NSC) Poll does not guarantee a corresponding seed in the national championship.
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
—KCAC—