Following a historic season, the Central Methodist University Eagles finished the 2016 campaign, by receiving votes in the final 2016 NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
Kansas City, Mo. For the second-straight season, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) ranks No. 1 in the postseason edition of the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Wednesday. The Warriors, who won the 60th annual Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series last week, claimed all 15 first-place votes and 405 total points en route to their 57th top billing since 2000.
Top 25 Highlights (historical information dates back to 2000)
Lewis-Clark State won its second-straight and 18th all-time World Series title last Friday with a 12-11 victory over Faulkner (Ala.). The contest was a rematch of the 2013 championship game, which was won by the Eagles.
Lewis-Clark State and Faulkner combined for a NAIA World Series single-game record 11 home runs in the game. The previous record was eight set in 1987.
The Warriors, who own the association's longest active streak in the Top 25 at 156-consecutive polls, were ranked in the top five in every poll this season. Faulkner also boasts this distinction.
Rounding out the top five are No. 2 Faulkner, No. 3 Bellevue (Neb.), No. 4 Tennessee Wesleyan and No. 5 Sterling (Kan.). Sterling makes the largest jump among the group, leaping four spots from its perch at No. 9 on May 13.
Three teams have been ranked No. 1 this season: Faulkner (twice), Georgia Gwinnett (seven times) and Lewis-Clark State (twice).
Two newcomers joined the Top 25 No. 6 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and No. 11 Point (Ga.). The Blue Raiders, who were receiving votes in the final regular-season edition, won five-straight elimination games in the Lawrenceville Opening Round Bracket to make their second-straight appearance at the World Series. Lindsey Wilson went 2-2 at the 60th annual event.
Point became the only No. 5 seed in the eight-year history of the Opening Round format to advance to Lewiston. The Skyhawks won the Savannah Opening Round Bracket.
Among teams ranked in the final regular-season poll, The Master's (Calif.) highlights the positive movement, vaulting 16 spots from No. 24 to No. 8. The Mustangs won the Santa Barbara Opening Round Bracket and posted a 1-2 record at the World Series.
Conversely, former No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett dropped a poll-high nine spots to No. 10.
Middle Georgia State (No. 17), Texas Wesleyan (No. 21) and Wayland Baptist (Texas) (No. 23) fell out of the Top 25.
The Golden State Athletic Conference, Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, Southern States Athletic Conference and The Sun Conference lead all leagues with three teams represented each.
Outside of Lewis-Clark State, 10 other teams have been ranked No. 1 in at least two polls: Oklahoma City (32), former member Lubbock Christian (Texas) (13), former member Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (11), Faulkner (10), Georgia Gwinnett (8), LSU Shreveport (La.) (6), former member Lee (Tenn.) (6), Cumberland (6) and Tennessee Wesleyan (2).
Poll Methodology
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions.
The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place and so on through the list.
The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low ratings) is removed and the team's ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appears on.
Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered "receiving votes"
For the complete Top 25 calendar, click here.
2016 NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Postseason Poll (June 8)
| RANK | PRVS^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 4 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) (15) | 50-8 | 405 |
| 2 | 3 | Faulkner (Ala.) | 53-15 | 392 |
| 3 | 2 | Bellevue (Neb.) | 54-12 | 379 |
| 4 | 5 | Tennessee Wesleyan | 50-15 | 366 |
| 5 | 9 | Sterling (Kan.) | 52-16 | 352 |
| 6 | RV | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 44-25 | 335 |
| 7 | 6 | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | 46-17 | 323 |
| 8 | 24 | The Master's (Calif.) | 42-19 | 316 |
| 9 | 11 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 48-13 | 301 |
| 10 | 1 | Georgia Gwinnett | 57-6 | 287 |
| 11 | NR | Point (Ga.) | 35-30 | 257 |
| 12 | 10 | Missouri Baptist | 45-15 | 249 |
| 13 | 8 | USC Beaufort (S.C.) | 44-14 | 245 |
| 14 | 12 | York (Neb.) | 46-17 | 241 |
| 15 | 7 | Westmont (Calif.) | 42-13 | 231 |
| 16 | 13 | Tabor (Kan.) | 45-18 | 209 |
| 17 | 15 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 42-19 | 193 |
| 18 | 14 | Jamestown (N.D.) | 52-11 | 185 |
| 19 | 16 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 40-17-1 | 179 |
| 20 | T25 | William Carey (Miss.) | 40-21 | 157 |
| 21 | 22 | St. Thomas (Fla.) | 38-22 | 144 |
| 22 | 18 | Madonna (Mich.) | 41-17 | 130 |
| 23 | T25 | Keiser (Fla.) | 40-22 | 104 |
| 24 | 19 | IU Southeast (Ind.) | 42-13 | 95 |
| 25 | 20 | Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) | 41-19 | 88 |
Dropped from Top 25: Middle Georgia State (No. 17); Texas Wesleyan (No. 21); Wayland Baptist (Texas) (No. 23)
Others receiving votes: Texas Wesleyan 82; Davenport (Mich.) 62; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 55; Middle Georgia State 51; Central Methodist (Mo.) 23; Midland (Neb.) 14; Central Baptist (Ark.) 12; Taylor (Ind.) 10; Rio Grande (Ohio) 3.
^From the 2016 NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll Final (May 13)
