Orange City Iowa — Northwestern College was the biggest mover in this week’s NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball coaches’ poll released by the national office Tuesday.
Absent from the national poll since the 2012-13 season, Northwestern moved up to sixth in the Nov. 29 edition of the coaches’ ranking from the receiving votes category. It it is the highest ranking for the Red Raiders since the initial preseason poll of the 2007-08 season where they were ranked second. Northwestern has won 10 straight and is 10-1 on the year.
The Red Raiders are one of five GPAC teams in the top 25, joining Dakota Wesleyan (10), Midland (10), Morningside (23) and Briar Cliff (25).
Saint Francis (Ind.) claimed the top spot for the second straight poll, earning all 12 first place votes with a 10-0 record. Cornerstone, Indiana Wesleyan, St. Thomas and Indiana East round out the top five.
2016 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Poll 1 (Nov. 29)
1 Saint Francis (Ind.) (12) 10-0 312
2 Cornerstone (Mich.) 8-1 299
3 Indiana Wesleyan 7-1 294
4 St. Thomas (Fla.) 7-0 270
5 Indiana East 7-1 265
6 Northwestern (Iowa) 10-1 264
7 Davenport (Mich.) 7-2 260
8 College of Idaho 7-2 239
9 Warner (Fla.) 7-1 228
10 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 7-2 205
11 Union (Ky.) 8-3 203
12 Taylor (Ind.) 8-0 198
13 Northwest Christian (Ore.) 5-1 188
14 Rochester (Mich.) 12-1 187
15 York (Neb.) 6-2 162
16 Midland (Neb.) 7-2 151
17 Bethel (Ind.) 7-2 130
18 St. Francis (Ill.) 2-3 118
19 Indiana Southeast 5-1 117
20 Keiser (Fla.) 3-2 115
21 Viterbo (Wis.) 5-2 114
22 Northwest (Wash.) 9-0 101
23 Morningside (Iowa) 7-2 96
24 Saint Mary (Kan.) 9-1 95
25 Briar Cliff (Iowa) 6-3 73
Dropped from the rankings: Tabor (Kan.) Indiana Tech, Bellevue (Neb.), Saint Xavier (Ill.), Warner Pacific (Ore.), Robert Morris (Ill.) and Dakota State (S.D.).
Others receiving votes: Eastern Oregon 53; Washington Adventist (Md.) 53; Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 37; Tennessee Wesleyan 29; Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 27; Northwestern Ohio 27; Southeastern (Fla.) 22; Pacific Union (Calif.) 8; Tabor (Kan.) 7; Southern Oregon 5; Michigan-Dearborn 5
