Skylights move up in NAIA Poll

The Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball team heads into the postseason as the No. 12 team in the NAIA.

The final regular season Coaches Poll was released Tuesday afternoon.

With a four-game winning streak, the Skylights moved up three spots from the last poll and are one of three Frontier Conference teams ranked. Lewis-Clark State moved from No. 4 to No. 2 in the new poll, while UM-Western stayed at No. 20. No other Frontier teams received votes.

In the final regular season men’s poll, Carroll College climbed its highest ranking in years, as the Fighting Saints moved up to No. 4. UM-Western also rose three spots to No. 10, giving the Frontier a pair of Top 10 teams going into the postseason. LC State is currently just outside the Top 25 at No. 27, meaning the Warriors have a good chance to make the NAIA national tournament.

The final men’s and women’s polls will be released March 8, when the NAIA national tournament fields are also announced.

NAIA Women's Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pt.

1 1 Freed-Hardeman 30-0 250

2 4 Lewis-Clark State 29-1 237

3 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 28-1 235

T4 3 Vanguard (Calif.) 27-2 223

T4 5 Shawnee State (Ohio) 28-2 223

6 7 Oklahoma City 26-2 207

7 6 Westmont (Calif.) 24-4 203

8 8 Baker (Kan.) 26-4 190

9 9 Campbellsville (Ky.) 25-5 185

10 10 Lyon (Ark.) 25-4 183

11 12 Columbia (Mo.) 25-5 167

12 15 MSU-Northern 22-7 160

13 11 Benedictine (Kan.) 23-7 152

14 17 Biola (Calif.) 23-6 140

15 16 Our Lady of the Lake 23-7 134

16 17 John Brown (Ark.) 22-7 133

17 13 Wayland Baptist (Texas) 23-5 129

18 14 Bethel (Tenn.) 21-9 121

19 21 The Master's (Calif.) 20-7 103

20 20 Montana Western 22-7 91

21 24 Central Methodist (Mo.) 22-8 89

22 22 Pikeville (Ky.) 20-9 81

23 RV Loyola (La.) 25-5 79

24 23 Lindenwood-Belleville 22-8 72

25 RV Talladega (Ala.) 19-8 54

Others receiving votes: Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 45; LSU Shreveport (La.) 36; Clarke (Iowa) 24; Mobile (Ala.) 15; William Penn (Iowa) 12; Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 9.

NAIA Men's Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pt.

1 1 LSU Alexandria (10) 29-0 250

2 2 William Penn (Iowa) 27-3 242

3 5 Dalton State (Ga.) 24-4 228

4 8 Carroll (Mont.) 25-5 224

5 10 Hope International 24-6 212

6 3 Columbia (Mo.) 26-4 211

7 4 Biola (Calif.) 26-4 199

8 14 Pikeville (Ky.) 24-6 194

9 11 Texas Wesleyan 23-6 190

T10 7 Dillard (La.) 21-7 171

T10 13 Montana Western 24-6 171

12 6 Georgetown (Ky.) 22-6 163

13 17 William Carey (Miss.) 22-6 149

14 18 The Master's (Calif.) 23-4 142

15 12 LSU Shreveport (La.) 20-8 139

16 21 SAGU (Texas) 22-8 129

17 23 Park (Mo.) 20-6 115

18 16 Westmont (Calif.) 23-6 114

19 22 Talladega (Ala.) 20-9 96

20 RV Life (Ga.) 19-10 91

21 9 Cumberlands (Ky.) 22-7 85

T22 RV Langston (Okla.) 20-8 81

T22 24 Grand View (Iowa) 20-9 81

24 14 Benedictine (Kan.) 21-9 58

25 RV Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 21-9 54

Others Receiving Votes: Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 51; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 38; Wiley (Texas) 30; Southwestern Christian (Okla.) 24; William Woods (Mo.) 20; Oklahoma City 12; Loyola (La.) 10; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 4.