NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll
Lock Haven’s eight-week run atop the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll came to an end this week as Columbus State took over the No. 1 position, the association announced Thursday.
CSU, which has won 35 straight games en route to winning the Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament titles, earned five first-place votes to snag the top spot by two points.
LHU had its 32-game win streak snapped last week, dropping it a spot to second in one of the closest races for the top spot in the poll’s history. The Lady Eagles had been ranked No. 1 for nine straight weeks dating back to the final poll of the 2006 season.
Despite the change in the top two positions, the top 10 remained mostly unchanged. Humboldt State remained at No. 3, followed by Angelo State and Valdosta State and Nos. 4 and 5, respectively.
Emporia State held firm at No. 6 heading into the stretch run of the season, while Cal State Stanislaus, Lewis and LIU-C.W. Post landed at the seventh through ninth positions for the second straight week.
The lone newcomer to the top 10 this week was Alabama-Huntsville, who jumped an extra spot a week after moving back into the rankings at No. 11. Lenoir-Rhyne took advantage of its conference title to leap a pair of spots to No. 11, while SIU-Edwardsville slipped a couple of notches to 12th after splitting with Missouri-Rolla during the week.
Florida Gulf Coast fell one place to No. 13, immediately ahead of a Minnesota State, Mankato squad that has played solidly in the last half of the season to move up one more place to 14th.
Newcomer Midwestern State made a big jump into the rankings, landing in a tie for 15th with a Kutztown squad that leaped two notches. Hawaii Pacific advanced one spot to No. 18, while Adelphi leaped six places into the to 20 at No. 19. Florida Southern remained at No. 20 again this week.
Augusta State became one of four new squads in the poll this week, coming in at No. 21. Southern Connecticut State emerged in the poll at No. 24, while Shippensburg fought its way back into the rankings, landing in a tie for 25th with Wayne State.
Nebraska-Omaha slipped one place to 22nd, just ahead of Hawaii-Hilo, who held put at No. 23.
