LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Texas-Tyler continues its reign at the top and the next six are also unanimously the same for a second straight week in the NFCA Division III Top 25 poll.
The (34-2) Patriots have been the No. 1 team all nine weeks of the poll this season following last year’s runner-up finish at the NCAA Championship and completed their latest undefeated week. Texas-Tyler’s only losses this season were in February to Belhaven, which is in its first year transitioning from NAIA to Division III.
Luther (29-1) is No. 2, Virginia Wesleyan (32-5) is fourth, Salisbury (31-4) is fifth and Birmingham-Southern (34-6) is sixth for a second straight week, while Texas Lutheran (37-2) continues in the third spot for a fourth consecutive week and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is seventh for a third straight week.
Otterbein (25-3-1) and Wittenberg (23-4-1) surged into the Top 25 this week at 21st and 25th, respectively, while perennial poll fixture Central (Iowa) dropped out, along with Heidelberg, Simpson, Wheaton (Ill.) and Whitworth.
The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Records through Sunday’s games are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses.
NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll – April 20, 2016
| Rank | Team | 2016 Record | Points | Previous |
| 1 | Texas-Tyler (8) | 34-2 | 200 | 1 |
| 2 | Luther | 29-1 | 192 | 2 |
| 3 | Texas Lutheran | 37-2 | 184 | 3 |
| 4 | Virginia Wesleyan | 32-5 | 176 | 4 |
| 5 | Salisbury | 31-4 | 168 | 5 |
| 6 | Birmingham-Southern | 34-6 | 160 | 6 |
| 7 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps | 26-6-1 | 152 | 7 |
| 8 | Christopher Newport | 32-5 | 144 | 9 |
| 9 | Berry | 32-6 | 130 | 11 |
| 10 | Emory | 36-4 | 118 | 10 |
| 11 | Illinois Wesleyan | 23-5 | 116 | 8 |
| 12 | Alma | 24-6 | 108 | 12 |
| 13 | St. Thomas (Minn.) | 26-4 | 102 | 15 |
| 14 | East Texas Baptist | 29-7 | 100 | 13 |
| 15 | Rowan | 25-7 | 86 | 14 |
| 16 | Messiah | 26-3 | 74 | 16 |
| 17 | St. Catherine | 23-4 | 69 | 17 |
| 18 | Washington (Mo.) | 32-8 | 66 | 18 |
| 19 | Moravian | 25-3 | 63 | 19 |
| 20 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 23-5 | 58 | 22 |
| 21 | Otterbein | 25-3-1 | 32 | NR |
| 22 | Manhattanville | 25-1 | 31 | 23 |
| 23 | Ithaca | 20-6 | 29 | 21 |
| 24 | St. John Fisher | 23-5 | 14 | 20 |
| 25 | Wittenberg | 23-4-1 | 10 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Wis.-Oshkosh 6, Wheaton (Ill.) 5, Cortland 5 and Williams 2.
Dropped out: Central (Iowa), Heidelberg, Simpson, Wheaton (Ill.) and Whitworth.
