A new team takes over the top spot in the NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll, as Mid-America Christian (Okla.) is tabbed with 17 of the first-place votes. Central Methodist (Mo.) receives the 18th vote followed by Dalton State (Ga.), last week's No. 1 team Mobile (Ala.) and Missouri Valley who remains in fifth from the previous poll. The largest leap was by the Roadrunners up from ninth the week before, and Corban (Ore.) went from 19th to out of the Top 25.
Dalton State achieved the 6-spot jump by virtue of defeating previously #1 Mobile (Ala.), 1-0, on September 30 and tying then #15 William Carey (Miss.), 1-1, on October 2.
They sit on top of the SSAC standings with 6 regular season matches remaining. They will be back on the pitch on Sunday, October 9 when they take on Faulkner (Ala.) on Senior Day at Dalton Stadium. Kickoff for the men is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. with the women starting the day off at 2:30 p.m.
By The Numbers
This is the 79th NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll to be released since the men's soccer program has been eligible for national rankings. They have achieved a national ranking or received votes in 52 of the 79 polls. This becomes the highest ranking in program history for the men's soccer team. Previously, their highest ranking was achieved on the April 14, 2021 poll when the Birds came in at #5.
|
RANK
|
LAST
|
SCHOOL [FIRST-PLACE VOTES]
|
CONFERENCE
|
RECORD
|
FINAL POINTS
|
|
1
|
2
|
Mid-America Christian (Okla.) [17]
|
Sooner
|
9-1
|
498
|
|
2
|
3
|
Central Methodist (Mo.) [1]
|
Heart
|
7-0-3
|
482
|
|
3
|
9
|
Dalton State (Ga.)
|
Southern States
|
7-0-3
|
457
|
|
4
|
1
|
Mobile (Ala.)
|
Southern States
|
7-1-1
|
446
|
|
5
|
5
|
Missouri Valley
|
Heart
|
6-2-1
|
431
|
|
6
|
4
|
St. Thomas (Fla.)
|
The Sun
|
4-0-1
|
425
|
|
7
|
6
|
Keiser (Fla.)
|
The Sun
|
4-0-2
|
396
|
|
8
|
7
|
Grace (Ind.)
|
Crossroads
|
7-0-4
|
385
|
|
9
|
10
|
University of Northwestern Ohio
|
Wolverine-Hoosier
|
8-0-2
|
379
|
|
10
|
11
|
Georgia Gwinnett
|
Continental
|
6-1-1
|
346
|
|
11
|
12
|
Bethel (Ind.)
|
Crossroads
|
10-1-1
|
345
|
|
12
|
8
|
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
|
Heart
|
6-2-3
|
317
|
|
13
|
13
|
Cumberlands (Ky.)
|
Mid-South
|
6-2-2
|
305
|
|
14
|
16
|
Florida National
|
Continental
|
7-0-1
|
284
|
|
14
|
15
|
William Carey (Miss.)
|
Southern States
|
5-1-3
|
284
|
|
16
|
17
|
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
|
Chicagoland
|
8-1-1
|
229
|
|
17
|
20
|
Ottawa (Ariz.)
|
Golden State
|
7-2-1
|
204
|
|
18
|
RV
|
Williams Baptist (Ark.)
|
American Midwest
|
7-0-2
|
201
|
|
19
|
18
|
Life (Ga.)
|
Southern States
|
7-1-1
|
198
|
|
20
|
14
|
Columbia (Mo.)
|
American Midwest
|
4-3-3
|
189
|
|
21
|
23
|
Oklahoma Wesleyan
|
Kansas Collegiate
|
5-4-1
|
170
|
|
22
|
24
|
Indiana Tech
|
Wolverine-Hoosier
|
5-1-3
|
161
|
|
23
|
RV
|
Warner Pacific (Ore.)
|
Cascade
|
11-0
|
131
|
|
24
|
21
|
Indiana Wesleyan
|
Crossroads
|
8-2-2
|
108
|
|
25
|
25
|
Rio Grande (Ohio)
|
River States
|
6-3-1
|
97
|
Dropped From Poll: Corban (Ore.); Bethel (Tenn.)
Receiving Votes: Cumberland (Tenn.) 87; Corban (Ore.) 84; Hastings (Neb.) 70; Viterbo (Wis.) 53; Bethel (Tenn.) 35; Tennessee Wesleyan 28; Clarke (Iowa) 24; Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 24; LSU Shreveport (La.) 15; Louisiana Christian 11; Southeastern (Fla.) 7; Missouri Baptist 5; Milligan (Tenn.) 5; John Brown (Ark.) 3; Concordia (Neb.) 3