BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Four Mid-South Conference teams earned a mention in the latest NAIA Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, NAIA officials announced on Wednesday.
Cumberland (Tenn.), Cumberlands (Ky.), and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) are all ranked for a second straight week, while Bethel (Tenn.) sits just outside the top-25 in the receiving votes category.
Lindsey Wilson remains the highest-rated team in the MSC at No. 2. The Blue Raiders (3-1) received 290 voting points from the national raters. The Blue Raiders return to action on Saturday, opening MSC play at Bethel in McKenzie, Tennessee.
Cumberlands jumped up one spot to No. 13 this week. The Patriots (4-1) picked up 180 voting points. Cumberlands travels to Freed-Hardeman in Henderson, Tenn., on Friday to open up conference play.
Cumberland also moved up one spot in the rankings to No. 22. The Phoenix (4-3) garnered 85 voting points from the raters. Cumberland returns to action against Indiana Wesleyan on Friday, followed by the conference-opener against Campbellsville (Ky.) on Saturday in Lebanon.
Bethel (Tenn.) received 24 voting points from the raters. The Wildcats (1-0) host Lindsey Wilson on Saturday.
Keiser remains atop the poll with 300 voting points. Tennessee Wesleyan is No. 3 with 280 voting points, followed by Southeastern at No. 4 with 270 points.
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."
- For the Preseason Poll, there is no "previous ranking" column since it is the initial poll and differs from the prior rating system.