Kansas City, Mo. – The Central Methodist women's soccer team landed at No. 8 in the most recent NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll, as announced by the national office Wednesday afternoon.
Other Heart programs mentioned in the poll are No. 19 Baker, No. 23 Missouri Valley, and (RV) Benedictine.
So far this spring season, the Eagles have defeated three Top 25 teams including No. 5 Marian, No. 12 Oklahoma Wesleyan, and No. 14 Grace. CMU started their post-season run on April 3 at the Heart Conference Tournament, defeating Grand View in the quarterfinals and (RV) Benedictine in the semifinals.
The Eagles lead the NAIA in total assists (79) and total goals (99). Central has already surpassed their highest-scoring season ever by three goals in 20 games (2019 – 96 goals). Central is also in the Top 10 in five other statistical categories.
Anika Kallash sits at No. 2 for five different statistical categories, including total goals (25). Sandra Jakobsen is in the Top 10 in four categories, sharing the No. 5 spot with Kallash in total assists (14).
The Eagles will face rival No. 22 Missouri Valley for the Heart Conference Tournament Championship on Davis Field on Saturday, April 10 at 8:00 p.m.
To view the poll methodology and the complete Top 25 poll, please see 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 rating calendar, click here
2021 NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll – Poll 4 (April 7, 2021)
| RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL [1st Place Votes] | RECORD | FINAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | William Carey (Miss.) [17] | 14-0-1 | 467 |
| 2 | 2 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 15-1-1 | 452 |
| 3 | 3 | Keiser (Fla.) | 16-2-1 | 432 |
| 4 | 4 | Martin Methodist (Tenn.) | 16-0 | 427 |
| 5 | 5 | Marian (Ind.) | 18-2 | 400 |
| 6 | 7 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 16-1 | 384 |
| 7 | 6 | Spring Arbor (Mich.) | 11-2-1 | 380 |
| 8 | 9 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 16-3 | 368 |
| 9 | 7 | Westmont (Calif.) | 7-4 | 343 |
| 10 | 10 | Indiana Wesleyan | 9-2-3 | 331 |
| 11 | 12 | John Brown (Ark.) | 10-0 | 319 |
| 12 | 13 | Oklahoma Wesleyan | 15-2 | 305 |
| 13 | 16 | Columbia (Mo.) | 13-2 | 265 |
| 14 | 15 | Grace (Ind.) | 11-5-1 | 264 |
| 15 | 14 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 9-3 | 260 |
| 16 | 11 | Eastern Oregon | 7-1-2 | 257 |
| 17 | 17 | Aquinas (Mich.) | 12-1 | 236 |
| 18 | 18 | Briar Cliff (Iowa) | 12-1-2 | 212 |
| 19 | 19 | Baker (Kan.) | 12-4-1 | 189 |
| 20 | 20 | University of Northwestern Ohio | 8-2 | 167 |
| 21 | 21 | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 9-3 | 153 |
| 22 | 23 | Trinity Christian (Ill.) | 13-2 | 142 |
| 23 | 22 | Missouri Valley | 11-6 | 141 |
| 24 | 24 | Middle Georgia State | 8-4-1 | 110 |
| 25 | RV | Ottawa (Ariz.) | 8-1-1 | 75 |
Dropped from the Top 25: Vanguard (Calif.)
Others Receiving Votes: Benedictine (Kan.) 59, Truett McConnell (Ga.) 50, Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 47, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 38, College of Idaho 29, Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 22, Viterbo (Wis.) 19, Vanguard (Calif.) 17, Kansas Wesleyan 16, Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 16, Reinhardt (Ga.) 8, Oregon Tech 4, Georgia Gwinnett 4, Bethel (Tenn.) 3, Morningside (Iowa) 3.
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