KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For the first time ever, Montana Tech's women's basketball team has cracked the top 10.
The Orediggers moved up to No. 6 in Wednesday's Gared NAIA coaches' top 25 poll, the NAIA office announced. Montana Tech also received a first-place vote for the first time in program history.
Montana Tech was the highest-ranked Frontier Conference and West Region team in the ballot, jumping up 10 spots from the preseason ranking of No. 16. The Orediggers are 5-0 in the season's early going, including wins over No. 2-, No. 10-, and No. 22-ranked teams.
Bethel (Tenn.) moved up to No. 1 in Wednesday's rankings, collecting 14 first-place votes, followed by No. 2 Dordt, which collected three. No. 4 Saint Francis (Ind.), Montana Tech, and No. 8 Georgetown (Ky.) each received one top nod.
No. 12 Rocky Mountain, No. 14 Carroll, No. 24 Dakota State, and No. 25 MSU-Northern also represented the Frontier Conference in the rankings.
The Orediggers will have another test against a ranked opponent this weekend when No. 23 Oregon Tech pays a visit to Valley Bank Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.
Gared NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (Nov. 11)
| TREND |
RANK |
LAST TIME |
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] |
RECORD |
| ▲ |
1 |
4 |
Bethel (Tenn.) [14] |
3-0 |
| ▲ |
2 |
7 |
Dordt (Iowa) [3] |
4-0 |
| ▲ |
3 |
5 |
Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) |
5-0 |
| ▲ |
4 |
9 |
Saint Francis (Ind.) [1] |
5-0 |
| ▼ |
5 |
2 |
Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) |
3-1 |
| ▲ |
6 |
16 |
Montana Tech [1] |
5-0 |
| ▼ |
7 |
1 |
Marian (Ind.) |
3-1 |
| ▲ |
8 |
11 |
Georgetown (Ky.) [1] |
6-0 |
| ▲ |
9 |
10 |
Concordia (Neb.) |
3-1 |
| ▲ |
10 |
14 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
4-0 |
| ▲ |
11 |
13 |
Rio Grande (Ohio) |
4-0 |
| ▼ |
T-12 |
8 |
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
3-2 |
| ● |
T-12 |
12 |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
2-0 |
| ▲ |
14 |
24 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
4-0 |
| ▲ |
15 |
18 |
Hastings (Neb.) |
2-0 |
| ▼ |
16 |
15 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
4-0 |
| ▲ |
17 |
25 |
Spring Arbor (Mich.) |
5-0 |
| ▼ |
18 |
17 |
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) |
3-0 |
| ▼ |
19 |
6 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
4-2 |
| ▼ |
20 |
19 |
Loyola (La.) |
2-0 |
| ▼ |
21 |
20 |
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) |
2-2 |
| ▲ |
22 |
RV |
Faulkner (Ala.) |
4-0 |
| ● |
23 |
23 |
Oregon Tech |
3-1 |
| ▼ |
24 |
3 |
Dakota State (S.D.) |
1-4 |
| ▲ |
25 |
NR |
Montana State-Northern |
4-0 |
Dropped from Top 25: College of Idaho, Southeastern (Fla.)
Receiving Votes: Bethel (Kan.), Briar Cliff (Iowa), College of Idaho, Corban (Ore.), Evangel (Mo.), Huntington (Ind.), Indiana Tech, Reinhardt (Ga.), Southeastern (Fla.), Texas A&M – San Antonio
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