Wildcats, Lady Tigers, Lady Lions all top ten in first regular-season NAIA ranking

11/12/2025 11:47:04 AM

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Bethel (Tenn.) Wildcats kept their designation as the #2 team in the nation as the Lady Tigers of Campbellsville (Ky.) stood pat in third and the Freed-Hardeman Lady Lions stayed sixth in the NAIA Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the national office annonunced Wednesday.

The Wildcats have been led by standout sophomores Micah Hart and Mikee Buchanan who have brought the team to their 7-0 record to begin the season. Hart and Buchanan are combining for 33.9 points per game (17.9 and 16) and 10.6 rebounds (5.6 and 5).

The Lady Tigers are similarly undefeated, having amassed a 6-0 record thus far. Like Bethel, they bested #13 Indiana Wesleyan as their notable win during their opening slate of contests. The Lady Lions also have amassed a 6-0 stint to start the year, spearheaded by sophomores Lilly Kee (16.2 ppg) and Jenna Satterly (16.2 ppg).

The #19 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots made the biggest leap of all ranked Mid-South Conference teams, jumping six spots from #25 to #19. They passed the #24 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Blue Raiders who remained in 24th. Both the Georgetown (Ky.) Tigers and the Cumberland Phoenix were receiving votes.

Dordt (Iowa.) again received all 20 first-place votes and 540 voting points to stay atop the poll. Marian (Ind.) and Dakota State (S.D.) flipped positions, landing fourth and fifth with 465 and 462 points, respectively.

The second regular-season poll is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 26.

Poll Methodology

  • The national poll is for publicity purposes only and does not influence the selection process for national championship consideration.
  • A panel of head coaches representing each conference and the Continental Athletic Conference (Independents) votes in the poll.
  • The Top 25 teams are selected using a points-based system:
    • 30 points for a 1st-place vote, 29 for 2nd, 28 for 3rd, and so on.
  • The highest and lowest rankings received by each team are discarded before final tallying.
  • Teams receiving only one point are not listed as “receiving votes.”