KANSAS CITY, Mo. ---- The NAIA National Office released the sixth edition of the men's soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll late Tuesday evening. The Central Methodist men's soccer team reached a program milestone, moving up to No. 12, which is the highest ranking the program has received.
The Eagles currently display a 9-1-2 overall record, with a 5-0-2 record in Heart of America Athletic Conference play.
The team has put together seven clean sheets this season, a mark which puts them ranked third in the nation.
The men's soccer program is currently ranked in the nation's top 40 in seven different statistical categories; third in total, fifth in shutouts per game (.580), 24th in total assists (28), 27th in shots on goal per game (9.250), 31st in assists per game (2.330), 38th in total goals (33), and 40th in shots per game (17.250). On the year, Central Methodist has outscored its opponents 33-5.
Central Methodist joined five other Heart schools in the poll. Fellow members Missouri Valley (2), Baker (4), Benedictine (20), Grand View (22) and MidAmerica Nazarene (25) join the Eagles in the latest poll.
"We are appreciative of all who placed votes to us, but our focuse is on a huge game between us and No. 4 Baker tonight. It will be a big game for both teams," head coach Alex Nichols stated on the achievement.
The Eagles will return to action tonight, October 11, when they host No. 4 Baker University in a key Heart match-up scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
The poll methodology and full poll can be found below:
Poll Methodology
- The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, Association of Independent Institutions and Unaffiliated Groups
- 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 rating) 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 appear on
- Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered "receiving votes"
- For the complete men's soccer ratings calendar, click here.
2017 NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll - No. 6 (Oct. 10)
| RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | William Carey (Miss.) (17) | 9-0-0 | 498 |
| 2 | 2 | Missouri Valley (1) | 10-0-1 | 482 |
| 3 | 4 | Oklahoma Wesleyan | 9-1-1 | 461 |
| 4 | 6 | Baker (Kan.) | 10-1-1 | 440 |
| 5 | 3 | Rio Grande (Ohio) | 9-1-1 | 438 |
| 6 | 5 | Corban (Ore.) | 10-0-2 | 420 |
| 7 | 7 | Georgia Gwinnett | 7-1-1 | 396 |
| 8 | 8 | Hastings (Neb.) | 9-3-0 | 373 |
| 9 | 11 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 7-1-0 | 364 |
| 10 | 10 | Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | 10-1-0 | 355 |
| 11 | 13 | Mobile (Ala.) | 7-2-1 | 340 |
| 12 | 14 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 9-1-2 | 307 |
| 13 | 12 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 8-1-1 | 302 |
| 14 | 16 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 11-2-0 | 295 |
| 15 | 17 | St. Thomas (Fla.) | 7-1-0 | 262 |
| 16 | 18 | Marymount (Calif.) | 7-2-2 | 255 |
| 17 | 21 | Columbia (Mo.) | 10-2-0 | 241 |
| 18 | 19 | Spring Arbor (Mich.) | 10-2-0 | 228 |
| 19 | 15 | Dalton State (Ga.) | 7-3-0 | 217 |
| 20 | 20 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 8-3-1 | 210 |
| 21 | 22 | Wayland Baptist (Texas) | 9-1-1 | 180 |
| 22 | NR | Grand View (Iowa) | 7-3-2 | 145 |
| 23 | 25 | Truett-McConnell (Ga.) | 10-1-2 | 118 |
| 24 | 23 | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 8-2-1 | 111 |
| 25 | 9 | MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) | 7-3-1 | 108 |
Dropped form Top 25: The Master's (Calif.)
Others Receiving Votes: The Master's (Calif.) 90; Madonna (Mich.) 81; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 55; Southwestern Christian (Okla.) 38; Johnson & Wales (Fla.) 29; Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 15; Westmont (Calif.) 15; Bryan (Tenn.) 14; Bethel (Tenn.) 14; Houston-Victoria (Texas) 13; William Woods (Mo.) 10; Bethel (Ind.) 5; Hope International (Calif.) 3; Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 3
