Lights rise up in new NAIA Coaches Poll

With perhaps the biggest road trip of the season ahead of them, the Montana State University-Northern Lights are now ranked as high as they've been in many years.

In the latest NAIA Coaches Poll, released on Tuesday night, the Lights moved from No. 22 all the way up to No. 10. Northern was ranked No. 10 for one poll last season as well, and that ranking is believed to be the highest the Lights have gone in the poll in quite some time.

MSU-N is riding a nine-game winning streak, and hasn't lost since Nov. 3. The Lights are 15-2 overall and 3-0 in the Frontier Conference after wins over Dickinson State and Rocky Mountain College last weekend. The Lights visit UM-Western Thursday night and Westminster Saturday.

Devin Jackson, left, and the Montana State University-Northern men's basketball team climbed to No. 10 in the latest NAIA rankings. The Lights visit UM-Western Thursday night.

The Frontier Conference is in good shape in the new poll, with Lewis-Clark State ascending to its highest ranking in years. The 18-0 Warriors moved up from No. 11 to No. 3 in this week's poll. After a loss to Montana Tech last Saturday night, Westminster fell, but is still ranked No. 18, giving the Frontier three teams in the Top 20. Great Falls also received votes this week.

On the women's side, Westminster remains the only nationally-ranked Frontier team. The Griffins moved up to No. 4 in the current poll. Westminster is 14-2 overall and 3-0 in the Frontier. Carroll College received 46 votes this week, which puts the Saints just outside the Top 25, at No. 26.

After this week's road trip the Lights and Skylights will be back at home Jan. 18-19 to host Montana Tech and LC State.

NAIA Men's Poll

Rnk.Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 2 Cumberlands (Ky.) (7) 15-1 276

2 6 Columbia (Mo.) (4) 16-0 265

3 11 Lewis-Clark State 18-0 264

4 1 Oklahoma Baptist 14-2 258

5 4 Pikeville (Ky.) 15-1 254

6 10 William Carey (Miss.) 13-2 229

7 3 Lee (Tenn.) 13-1 221

8 5 Westmont (Calif.) 12-3 218

9 14 Science & Arts (Okla.) 8-2 195

10 22 MSU-Northern 15-2 186

10 15 Cal State San Marcos 13-4 186

10 24 Texas College 13-2 186

13 18 Evangel (Mo.) 11-4 171

14 8 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 15-2 166

15 19 Concordia (Calif.) 11-3 158

16 16 Xavier (La.) 13-3 148

17 17 Bethel (Tenn.) 14-2 143

18 7 Westminster (Utah) 13-3 128

19 9 Rogers State (Okla.) 12-4 127

20 NR Emmanuel (Ga.) 15-2 117

21 RV SAGU (Texas) 12-3 94

22 22 Oklahoma City 8-2 81

23 21 Faulkner (Ala.) 14-3 78

24 RV Culver-Stockton (Mo.) 14-3 61

25 RV John Brown (Ark.) 12-3 60

Others receiving votes: MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 55; The Master's (Calif.) 47; Texas Wesleyan 35; Philander Smith (Ark.) 35; Hope International (Calif.) 27; Southern-New Orleans (La.) 8; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 6; Great Falls (Mont.) 5.

NAIA Women's Poll

Rnk.Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 1 Lubbock Christian (10) 16-0 281

2 3 Vanguard (Calif.) (1) 9-0 272

3 2 Freed-Hardeman 14-1 263

4 5 Westminster (Utah) 14-2 254

5 6 Lee (Tenn.) 13-1 241

6 8 Oklahoma City 10-2 239

7 7 Cumberland (Tenn.) 14-1 225

8 13 The Master's (Calif.) 13-0 221

9 9 Xavier (La.) 11-2 205

10 10 Campbellsville (Ky.) 12-3 196

11 11 MidAmerica Nazarene 14-2 194

12 4 Westmont (Calif.) 9-3 182

13 15 Shawnee State (Ohio) 14-3 173

14 12 Bethel (Tenn.) 13-3 171

15 14 Rogers State (Okla.) 12-4 149

16 18 William Woods (Mo.) 11-1 144

17 25 Central Methodist (Mo.) 15-1 135

18 20 Auburn Montgomery 13-3 114

19 21 Lyon (Ark.) 11-2 108

20 RV Wiley (Texas) 13-1 103

21 22 Benedictine (Kan.) 13-3 93

22 24 Faulkner (Ala.) 14-3 89

23 21 Georgetown (Ky.) 9-6 85

24 19 Our Lady of the Lake 13-1 83

25 17 LSU Shreveport (La.) 10-2 81

Others receiving votes: Carroll (Mont.) 46; St. Catharine (Ky.) 41; Cumberlands (Ky.) 33; Biola (Calif.) 30; Columbia (Mo.) 18; Robert Morris (Ill.) 16; Coastal Georgia 13; Southern Poly (Ga.) 3.