Sept. 29, 2009

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Despite an idle week, Bethel (Tenn.) University holds as the No. 1 team in the NAIA world, as announced today in the fourth regular season 2009 NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Bethel snared 17 of the possible 23 first-place votes and a total of 648 points. Standing at 6-0-1 overall, the Wildcats entertain Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) at home on Friday. Bethel is looking to extend a 21-match unbeaten streak, one that dates to Oct. 4, 2008. This year, Bethel holds a 30-3 scoring advantage including four shutouts.

Earning the other six first-place votes is No. 2 Azusa Pacific (Calif.). Azusa Pacific, who at 8-0-0 is one of eight teams at this point to go unbeaten, has allowed just four goals in eight matches. The Cougars tallied 637 points in the poll and, dating back to last year, have won 13 of their last 14 matches.

No. 3 Notre Dame holds at the third spot after earning 611 total points. The Falcons have now been ranked in the top 10 for the last nine polls and No. 3 the last four straight rankings.

No. 4 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) moved up one slot with 582 total points. The Blue Raiders have not played since a 2-1 road win at then-No. 8 Rio Grande (Ohio) on Sept. 19. Lindsey Wilson has a tough one looming with a Saturday match against No. 16 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.).

Entering the top five for the first time this year is No. 5 McKendree (Ill.). The Bearcats posted 560 total points this week and have logged a 9-0-1 record. Since a 0-0 draw to then-No. 12 Baker on Sept. 6, McKendree holds a 23-3 scoring edge during its current five-match winning streak.

Three teams are making their first appearance in the poll for the first time this season. Belhaven (Miss.) is included for the first time since Oct. 28, 2008 (No. 22), the first ranking for Benedictine (Kan.) since Nov. 11, 2008 (No. 15) and a first for Columbia (Mo.) since Aug. 15, 2007 (No. 22).

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups. The fifth regular season Top 25 poll will be announced on Oct. 6.

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NOTES: The top 10 teams sport an impressive 63-6-6 combined record this season… The Bethel (Tenn.) offense has been superior thus far as the Wildcats rank in the top 10 nationally in four statistical categories, including seventh in goals per game (4.4 gpg)... At No. 23, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) is recognized in the Top 25 for the first time since a No. 4 preseason billing… The 17-6 first-place split is the smallest margin this season… Being ranked No. 1 in the first five polls of the season, Bethel (Tenn.) is the first team to be the top team for at least the first five polls since Rio Grande was No. 1 for the entire 2004 season… Three teams drop out of the Top 25 since last week, Bellevue (Neb.) (No. 23), Cumberlands (Ky.) (No. 24) and Kansas Wesleyan (No. 25)… Bethel has been ranked No. 1 in all five polls this year – prior to that, the Wildcats’ highest spot (since 2000) was No. 16 back on Aug. 24, 2005… Since 2000, there have been 14 different teams to claim the No. 1 spot – Rio Grande (Ohio) leads the pack with 31 mentions as the top-ranked team… The last time Rio Grande was No. 1 was on Oct. 14, 2008, an absence of 10 polls… Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) is second on the list for No. 1 rankings since 2000, having been mentioned 28 times followed by Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (9), Bethel (Tenn.), Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (5) and Concordia (Calif.) (5)… The only team to run through the entire season ranked No. 1 (since 2000) was Rio Grande during the 2004 season – overall the Red Storm were No. 1 in 18 straight polls… Auburn Montgomery holds the longest active streak of being ranked in the Top 25 with 93 consecutive polls dating back to the first regular season poll on Sept. 12, 2000… After Auburn Montgomery, Concordia (Calif.) is next with 31 straight polls followed by Lindsey Wilson, Oklahoma City and Simon Fraser all being ranked in the last 26 straight polls… Since 2000, of the 122 NAIA schools to be ranked in the Top 25, 21 schools no longer sponsor NAIA men’s soccer.

2009 NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – (Sept. 29 - #4)

Others receiving votes:

University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 121; Kansas Wesleyan University 85; Bellevue University (Neb.) 83; Biola University (Calif.) 53; Concordia University (Ore.) 48; Ashford University (Iowa) 48; Univ of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (Okla.) 41; Mid-Continent University (Ky.) 24; Ohio Dominican University 24; William Jewell College (Mo.) 19; Savannah College of Art and Design (Ga.) 19; Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) 11; Milligan College (Tenn.) 8; Rogers State University (Okla.) 8; Illinois Institute of Technology 6; Texas Wesleyan University 1; Houghton College (N.Y.) 1; McPherson College (Kan.) 1; Westmont College (Calif.) 1; Morningside College (Iowa) 1; University of Mobile (Ala.) 1; Holy Names University (Calif.) 1

* Records submitted by the raters and through games played Sunday, Sept. 27