LOUISVILLE, Ky. — East Texas Baptist extended its unbeaten streak to 23 games to remain atop the NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll for a fourth-straight week.
The (8-0) Tigers were a perfect 15-0 a year ago when COVID-19 halted the season — spending the final two weeks of 2020 at No. 1 and opening this season in that same spot. After scoring 47 runs over its last four games, East Texas Baptist is idle until next Tuesday, when it hosts Southwestern for a doubleheader.
Meanwhile, reigning NCAA champion Texas Lutheran (4-2) remains No. 2, with both its losses coming to Division II schools — St. Mary’s (Texas) and St. Edward’s. The Bulldogs have lost just three times in their last 32 games — and only four times in their last 46 contests — which includes their run to the 2019 Division III crown.
Virginia Wesleyan (10-1), which won the two NCAA titles before that, hopped over regional rival Christopher Newport (9-3) into third place following a home sweep of the Captains on Feb. 27. The Marlins’ lone loss this season is a 5-3 loss to No. 5 Salisbury in the teams’ third meeting this past Sunday.
Elsewhere, ninth-ranked Berry (8-1) will put its six-game win streak on the line Saturday when it faces No. 25 Belhaven (11-3) — a newcomer to the poll — which is coming off a doubleheader sweep of Division I Jackson State on Tuesday. The Blazers have a third game against the Tigers this afternoon.
No. 11 Transylvania (7-0) will play Christopher Newport twice this weekend, while 22nd-ranked Randolph-Macon is slated to open its season on Thursday against Virginia Wesleyan in another matchup of ranked squads.
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 – March 10, 2021
|
Rank |
Team |
2021 Record |
Points |
Previous |
|
1 |
East Texas Baptist (8) |
8-0 |
200 |
1 |
|
2 |
Texas Lutheran |
4-2 |
192 |
2 |
|
3 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
10-1 |
184 |
4 |
|
4 |
Christopher Newport |
9-3 |
176 |
3 |
|
5 |
Salisbury |
2-4 |
168 |
5 |
|
6 |
Linfield |
7-1 |
160 |
6 |
|
7 |
DePauw |
8-0 |
152 |
9 |
|
8 |
Kean |
0-0 |
144 |
8 |
|
9 |
Berry |
8-1 |
136 |
10 |
|
10 |
St. John Fisher |
0-0 |
128 |
11 |
|
11 |
Transylvania |
7-0 |
120 |
12 |
|
12 |
Birmingham-Southern |
15-2 |
106 |
18 |
|
13 |
St. Olaf |
0-0 |
103 |
14 |
|
14 |
Milwaukee School of Engineering |
0-0 |
95 |
15 |
|
15 |
Eastern Connecticut State |
0-0 |
86 |
16 |
|
16 |
Carthage |
0-0 |
77 |
17 |
|
17 |
Moravian |
0-0 |
70 |
19 |
|
18 |
Geneseo |
0-0 |
54 |
20 |
|
19 |
St. Catherine |
2-0 |
50 |
NR |
|
T20 |
Trine |
0-0 |
41 |
22 |
|
Wartburg |
7-1 |
41 |
NR |
|
|
22 |
Randolph-Macon |
0-0 |
28 |
23 |
|
23 |
Tufts |
0-0 |
18 |
24 |
|
24 |
Carroll (Wis.) |
2-0 |
17 |
NR |
|
25 |
Belhaven |
11-3 |
14 |
NR |
Others receiving votes: Central (Iowa) 13, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 11, Wisconsin-La Crosse 9, Illinois Wesleyan 6, Rowan 1.
Dropped out: Averett, Ferrum, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Manhattanville, Maryville (Tenn.), Mount Union, Williams and Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Programs that do not participate during the 2021 season will not be eligible for the poll.
