Kansas City, Mo. - In the third edition of the NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 poll, Central Methodist moved one spot to No. 9.
Other Heart programs featured or mentioned in the national ranking include; No. 18 MidAmerica Nazarene, No. 24 Missouri Valley, and (RV) Benedictine.
The Eagles have raced out to a 6-1-1 start in the first eight games of the 2023 season, including a 2-0 mark in the Heart of America.
Through eight games so far this season, Central has scored on average over three goals/contest and have given up just eight goals total. Newcomer Lacey Ann Murray leads the offense with five goals, followed by senior captain Alicia Zamora with four. Both Kirstine Lykke and Celine Witt have tallied three goals so far in 2023.
Central hits the road to face No. 18 MNU Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1:00 p.m. in Olathe, Kansas.
To view the poll methodology and the complete Top 25 poll, please see below.
Rating Methodology
- The rating was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, Continental Athletic Conference (Independents), 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 appears on.
- Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered "receiving votes."
- For the complete rating calendar, click here
| RANK | LAST TIME | SCHOOL [FIRST PLACE VOTES] | RECORD | POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | William Carey (Miss.) [13] | 8-0-0 | 494 |
| 2 | 2 | Spring Arbor (Mich.) [5] | 6-0-0 | 486 |
| 3 | 3 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 6-0-2 | 466 |
| 4 | 4 | Marian (Ind.) | 7-0-1 | 450 |
| 5 | 6 | Oklahoma Wesleyan | 4-0-1 | 424 |
| 6 | 5 | Keiser (Fla.) | 3-2-1 | 422 |
| 7 | 7 | Aquinas (Mich.) | 5-0-1 | 407 |
| 8 | 9 | Columbia (Mo.) | 5-1-0 | 378 |
| 9 | 8 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 5-1-1 | 376 |
| 10 | 10 | Tennessee Southern (Tenn.) | 6-2-1 | 352 |
| 11 | 11 | Indiana Wesleyan | 6-1-2 | 338 |
| 12 | 12 | SCAD Savannah (Ga.) | 6-0-0 | 322 |
| 13 | 15 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 2-2-0 | 301 |
| 14 | 13 | Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) | 6-2-1 | 291 |
| 15 | 14 | John Brown (Ark.) | 5-2-0 | 280 |
| 16 | 16 | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 8-0-1 | 257 |
| 17 | 17 | College of Idaho | 6-1-1 | 244 |
| 18 | 18 | MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) | 3-3-1 | 222 |
| 19 | 20 | Hastings (Neb.) | 6-0-0 | 193 |
| 20 | 19 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 2-2-2 | 187 |
| 21 | 21 | Georgia Gwinnett | 4-1-2 | 181 |
| 22 | 22 | Truett McConnell (Ga.) | 2-2-2 | 162 |
| 22 | 23 | OUAZ (Ariz.) | 7-1-0 | 162 |
| 24 | 25 | Missouri Valley | 2-3-2 | 117 |
| 25 | 24 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 5-3-0 | 65 |
Dropped from Top 25: N/A
Receiving Votes: St. Thomas (Fla.) 60, Campbellsville (Ky.) 50, Eastern Oregon 49, Bellevue (Neb.) 41, Benedictine (Kan.) 40, University of Northwestern Ohio 24, Louisiana Christian 21, Taylor (Ind.) 15, Reinhardt (Ga.) 11, Hope International (Calif.) 10, Trinity Christian (Ill.) 9, Midland (Neb.) 9, UC Merced (Calif.) 7, Southern Oregon 3, Harris-Stowe (Mo.) 3
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