The Dordt University women’s basketball team is ranked fifth in the third edition of the NAIA Coaches’ poll released earlier this week by the national office.
The Defenders occupy the No.5 spot for the second consecutive week with 520 points, 20 more than in the last poll, and closed the gap with No.4 Central Methodist (Mo.) to 16 points. The top five teams remain unchanged from the November 30 poll with defending champion Thomas More (Ky.) owning the No.1 spot for the fourth consecutive poll (including the preseason). Westmont (Calif.) and Campbellsville (Ky.) are ranked third and fourth, respectively.
Dordt is off to its best start in program history with a 12-0 record, one of seven unbeaten teams left in the NAIA. The Defenders lead the NAIA in three-point percentage (40%) and are third in total field goal percentage (50%). Karly Gustafson (18.2) and Bailey Beckman (17.7) rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in scoring.
The Defenders are one of four teams from the GPAC in the top 25:
Dordt – 5
Northwestern – 15
Dakota Wesleyan – 21
Briar Cliff – 22
Dordt is scheduled to close out its schedule for the 2022 calendar year Thursday night Dec.15 against Mount Marty in Yankton, S.D.
NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll – Dec.14
RANK LAST TIME SCHOOL [1ST PLACE VOTES] RECORD POINTS
1 1 Thomas More (Ky.) [21] 12-0 591
2 2 Westmont (Calif.) 10-0 572
3 3 Campbellsville (Ky.) 9-0 546
4 4 Central Methodist (Mo.) 9-0 536
5 5 Dordt (Iowa) 12-0 520
6 8 Marian (Ind.) 11-1 493
7 7 Indiana Wesleyan 9-3 458
8 6 Clarke (Iowa) 8-2 452
9 10 Loyola (La.) 9-0 451
10 13 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 8-1 433
11 9 Carroll (Mont.) 6-4 387
12 14 Rio Grande (Ohio) 10-1 382
13 15 Indiana Tech 11-2 367
14 12 Vanguard (Calif.) 6-2 349
15 16 Northwestern (Iowa) 10-2 311
16 19 Sterling (Kan.) 9-3 283
17 NR Science & Arts (Okla.) 11-0 274
18 21 Montana Western 6-2 255
19 23 St. Francis (Ill.) 11-2 209
20 NR Eastern Oregon 6-1 186
21 11 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 7-3 168
22 NR Briar Cliff (Iowa) 8-3 164
23 18 Southern Oregon 6-2 157
24 22 Georgetown (Ky.) 7-5 131
25 20 Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 8-2 117
Dropped from the Top 25: The Master’s (Calif.), Cumberlands (Ky.), Morningside (Iowa)
Receiving Votes: Faulkner (Ala.) 108, Hope International (Calif.) 72, Cumberland (Tenn.) 69, Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 61, Xavier (La.) 48, IU South Bend (Ind.) 47, Rust (Miss.) 35, Grace (Ind.) 35, The Master’s (Calif.) 28, Dakota State (S.D.) 16, Reinhardt (Ga.) 13, Cumberland (Ky.) 11, Grand View (Iowa) 11, Philander Smith (Ark.) 5, Midway (Ky.) 5, Oakland City (Ind.) 5, Texas A&M Texarkana 4, St. Thomas (Fla.) 4
