Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) received the remaining first-place vote and 272 points to hold steady at No. 2. Vanguard (Calif.) is third with 263 points, while No. 4 Westmont (Calif.) and No. 5 Westminster (Utah) flip spots from last week. The Warriors claimed 263 points, while the Griffins received 245 points to round out the top five.
Nine teams advanced one position in the rankings this week, which is the biggest jump in the poll. Conversely, No. 15 Shawnee State (Ohio) and No. 21 Georgetown (Ky.) fell as they dropped three spots, while two schools Biola (Calif.) (No. 22) and Carroll (Mont.) (No. 24) fell out of the Top 25.
Newcomers to the polls are No. 22 Benedictine (Kan.) and No. 25 Central Methodist (Mo.). Benedictine was idle last week, while Central Methodist knocked off then-No. 9 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), 66-55, on Dec. 8. This is the first appearance for both schools in the Division I Top 25.
The Mid-South Conference leads all conferences with five teams in the Top 25 (No. 7 Cumberland (Tenn.), No. 10 Campbellsville (Ky.), Shawnee State, No. 16 Cumberlands (Ky.) and Georgetown), while the Golden State Athletic Conference and Heart of America Athletic Conference is second with three teams. Eleven conference/unaffiliated groups are represented in the preseason poll.
2012-13 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 2 (Dec. 11)
| RANK | LAST TIME | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2012-13 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Lubbock Christian (Texas) (10) | 12-0 | 281 |
| 2 | 2 | Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) (1) | 11-0 | 272 |
| 3 | 3 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 5-0 | 263 |
| 4 | 5 | Westmont (Calif.) | 7-1 | 254 |
| 5 | 4 | Westminster (Utah) | 8-2 | 245 |
| 6 | 6 | Lee (Tenn.) | 8-1 | 233 |
| 7 | 7 | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 9-0 | 227 |
| 8 | 8 | Oklahoma City | 5-2 | 221 |
| 9 | 10 | Xavier (La.) | 7-1 | 209 |
| 10 | 11 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 8-2 | 195 |
| 11 | 9 | MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) | 10-1 | 188 |
| 12 | 13 | Bethel (Tenn.) | 10-1 | 187 |
| 13 | 14 | The Master’s (Calif.) | 7-0 | 175 |
| 14 | 15 | Rogers State (Okla.) | 9-2 | 161 |
| 15 | 12 | Shawnee State (Ohio) | 8-3 | 156 |
| 16 | 16 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 8-2 | 148 |
| 17 | 17 | LSU Shreveport (La.) | 8-1 | 138 |
| 18 | 19 | William Woods (Mo.) | 7-1 | 121 |
| 19 | 20 | Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) | 9-0 | 114 |
| 20 | 20 | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | 10-1 | 101 |
| 21 | 18 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 4-3 | 93 |
| 22 | RV | Benedictine (Kan.) | 11-1 | 90 |
| 23 | 23 | Lyon (Ark.) | 7-1 | 88 |
| 24 | 25 | Faulkner (Ala.) | 9-2 | 72 |
| 25 | RV | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 11-1 | 67 |
Notes: (all information dates back to 1999-2000) The top billing is the third all-time for the Lubbock Christian (Texas), who has been ranked amongst the top 10 in 11-straight polls … Four programs have topped the poll 10-or-more times: former NAIA member Union (Tenn.) (53), Oklahoma City (45), Vanguard (Calif.) (27) and former NAIA member Southern Nazarene (Okla.) (15) … Since the start of the 1999-2000 season, only Oklahoma City and No. 2 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) have been listed in all 156 polls … Third-ranked Vanguard has appeared in 123-consecutive polls … No. 19 Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) and No. 24 Faulkner (Ala.) made their first-ever appearance in the Top 25 on Oct. 23 … Union and Vanguard are the only programs that have spent an entire season ranked No. 1 (Union: 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11) (Vanguard: 2005-06, 2006-07).
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and unaffiliated group. The third regular-season Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll will be announced on Jan. 8. For the complete ratings calendar, click here.
Lady Mustangs Climb to No. 13 in Basketball
