STARKVILLE, Miss. – After beginning the season at No. 10, Alabama-Huntsville’s steady climb towards the top of the NFCA Division II Top 25 poll culminated this week with the Chargers being named as the No. 1 team in the country, according the to the latest edition of the rankings that were released by the Association on Wednesday.

Alabama-Huntsville (24-1-1) received 11 of 16 first-place votes this week and finished six points ahead of previous No. 1 Angelo State (27-3), the recipients of the other five first-place votes.  The Chargers’ ranking marks the first time that they have sat at the top of a NFCA poll since the preseason edition in 2010 and is their first regular season No. 1 ranking since April 29, 2009.

The rest of the top five remained virtually the same, with only North Georgia (31-8) and Valdosta State (14-4) changing places to finish in fourth and fifth, respectively.  Midwestern State (30-3) rounded out the top five by coming in at third for the second consecutive week.

Rollins (32-1) made the poll’s biggest gain on the week by moving from 17^th to seventh after going 5-0 last week.  Minnesota State Mankato (23-4) was also able to parlay an undefeated week in to a significant trip up the poll, moving from 15^th to eighth.

No. 21 West Virginia Wesleyan and Missouri Western, who tied for last week’s final spot, were the only two teams to fall from the rankings this week.  Moving into the poll for the first time since April 25, 2007 was Shippensburg, who joins the fray at No. 24 and is off to a 20-8 start to its season.

To view the entire poll, click here.