LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Linfield saw its 18-game win streak end, but maintained its standing as the top team in the country for a third week in the NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The (22-2) Wildcats dropped the second game of a four-game weekend series with Puget Sound, but won the final two games to quickly get back on track. Meanwhile, No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan (21-3-1) also lost — to then-No. 22 Randolph-Macon — but rebounded to sweep Ferrum on Saturday and Bridgewater (Va.). on Tuesday.
There was no such stumble from reigning national champion Texas Lutheran (16-3), which took two from Trinity (Texas) and four from Schreiner to remain firmly entrenched in third, while East Texas Baptist (16-3) won three against Texas-Dallas to move up to fourth, and Salisbury (14-4) rolled to a pair of wins over Division II Bowie State to ascend to fifth.
Christopher Newport (18-8) slipped to sixth off a split with the same Bridgewater team Virginia Wesleyan swept, before also splitting with William Peace on Tuesday, with a sweep of Lynchburg in between.
Eastern Connecticut (14-0) was one of two biggest movers this week, surging five spots to seventh after winning four straight against UMass-Dartmouth. The Warriors, who were 2-0 before COVID-19 halted the 2020 season, have won 27 of their last 29, and haven’t lost since May 26, 2019, when they fell 3-2 in an eight-inning heartbreaker to eventual national runner-up Emory at the NCAA Championship finals in Tyler, Texas.
Saint Benedict (10-2) is the other big gainer this week, also moving up five places, to 19th, after a pair of wins. Transylvania (13-7), just above the Bennies at No. 18, dropped five spots after a week that included a split with Franklin.
Elsewhere, unbeaten Westminster (Pa.) joined the poll at No. 25 after continuing its winning ways, which included a sweep of Washington & Jefferson on Tuesday to get to 18-0.
The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Current records are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses. In 2021, schools that are not competing will not be eligible for the poll.
NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll – April 7, 2021
|
Rank |
Team |
2021 Record |
Points |
Previous |
|
1 |
Linfield (8) |
22-2 |
200 |
1 |
|
2 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
21-3-1 |
192 |
2 |
|
3 |
Texas Lutheran |
20-4 |
184 |
3 |
|
4 |
East Texas Baptist |
16-3 |
176 |
5 |
|
5 |
Salisbury |
14-4 |
168 |
6 |
|
6 |
Christopher Newport |
18-8 |
160 |
4 |
|
7 |
Eastern Connecticut State |
14-0 |
152 |
12 |
|
8 |
Kean |
12-0 |
144 |
8 |
|
9 |
Birmingham-Southern |
23-3 |
136 |
9 |
|
T10 |
Belhaven |
20-6 |
128 |
10 |
|
DePauw |
17-2 |
128 |
7 |
|
|
12 |
St. John Fisher |
7-1 |
110 |
11 |
|
13 |
Berry |
16-5 |
100 |
14 |
|
14 |
Wartburg |
17-4 |
97 |
16 |
|
15 |
Moravian |
8-0 |
89 |
15 |
|
16 |
Milwaukee School of Engineering |
16-1 |
82 |
17 |
|
17 |
Emory & Henry |
13-3 |
62 |
19 |
|
18 |
Transylvania |
13-7 |
57 |
13 |
|
19 |
Saint Benedict |
10-2 |
50 |
24 |
|
20 |
Randolph-Macon |
8-3-1 |
39 |
T22 |
|
T21 |
Cortland |
6-2 |
36 |
T22 |
|
Mount Union |
17-3 |
36 |
20 |
|
|
23 |
Dubuque |
12-4 |
33 |
18 |
|
24 |
Alvernia |
12-2 |
30 |
21 |
|
25 |
Westminster (Pa.) |
18-0 |
7 |
NR |
Others receiving votes: Misericordia 4, St. Scholastica 4, McMurry 1, Millikin 1, Stevenson 1, Trine 1.
Dropped out: Aurora, Geneseo and Luther.
Programs that do not participate during the 2021 season will not be eligible for the poll.
