STARKVILLE, Miss. - For the third straight week, Emory maintains its hold on No. 1 in the NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll, the association has announced. The Eagles are currently in the middle of a 12-game win streak as they enter postseason play ast the No. 1 seed in the Newport News, Va., regional. The Eagles will have to get past No. 10 and host Christopher Newport, as well as No. 18 Salisbury, to make a trip to the Division III final eight.
No. 2 Eastern Connecticut, who received three of the eight first place votes and is currently 40-1, is the No. 1 seed in its regional at home, and they will battle seven others, including No. 8 Tufts (36-5). No. 3 Linfield is the No. 2 seed in the Bloomington, Ill., regional; the Wildcats will have to get by No. 9 and No. 1 seed Illinois Wesleyan for a shot at defending their national title in Salem, Va. No. 4 Pacific Lutheran is the No. 2 seed in arguably one of the toughest regionals, hosted by No. 1 seed and No. 7-ranked Texas-Tyler. They are also joined by No. 13 Redlands (31-11) and No. 17 Claremont-Mudd Scripps (28-11). No. 5 Central is also a host and seeded second in the loaded Pella regional with No. 6 Luther, No. 11 St. Thomas and No. 19 Coe.
Regional play begins tomorrow, and the Division III championship begins next Friday in Salem. To view the entire poll, click here.