Unbeaten Skylights rise in NAIA Coaches Poll

The Montana State University-Northern Skylights are off to one of the best starts in recent school history. And now, the Skylights are climbing the charts.

The first NAIA Women’s Coaches Poll of the regular season was released earlier this week, and Northern, which is off to a 14-0 start, comes in at No. 17. The Skylights were ranked No. 21 in the NAIA Preseason Coaches Poll, and rose a solid four spots.

MSU-N is one of three Frontier Conference teams to be ranked. Westminster comes in at No. 4 in the new poll, while Lewis-Clark State is rated No. 13. The University of Great Falls, which is also unbeaten, received votes in the new poll.

On the men’s side, the MSU-Northern Lights sit just outside the Top 25. Northern received 27 votes, which ranks them tied for 28th. Northern began the season receiving votes as well. Rocky Mountain College is ranked No. 13 in the new men’s poll, while Lewis-Clark State is No. 21.

The Northern men return to action Dec. 18-20 at a tournament in Phoenix, while the Skylights won’t be back on the floor until they travel to a tournament in Florida, Dec. 30-31.

NAIA Men's Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 3 Cal State San Marcos 10-1 246

2 19 Campbellsville (Ky.) (2) 12-1 241

3 10 Hope International 8-0 238

4 2 Pikeville (Ky.) 8-1 211

5 9 William Carey (Miss.) 7-1 206

6 4 Benedictine (Kan.) 8-2 198

6 5 Talladega (Ala.) 11-3 198

8 RV Martin Methodist 9-0 195

9 RV Concordia (Calif.) 8-1 189

10 RV Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 8-1 186

11 12 Oklahoma Baptist 9-2 176

12 14 LSU Shreveport (La.) 7-1 159

13 T15 Dalton State (Ga.) 8-1 145

13 22 Rocky Mountain 7-1 145

15 8 Georgetown (Ky.) 10-2 137

16 21 Wayland Baptist (Texas) 8-1 131

17 23 Philander Smith (Ark.) 7-2 125

18 NR Texas Wesleyan 10-0 114

19 17 Arizona Christian 5-2 107

20 T25 Our Lady of the Lake 5-1 105

21 NR Lewis-Clark State 9-2 87

22 13 Xavier (La.) 8-4 80

23 RV SAGU (Texas) 8-2 70

24 20 Evangel (Mo.) 4-3 52

25 24 Culver-Stockton (Mo.) 6-3 43

Others Receiving Votes: Life (Ga.) 41; Bethel (Tenn.) 28; Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) 27; MSU-Northern 27; Langston (Okla.) 20; WVU Tech 18; Vanguard (Calif.) 16; Cumberlands (Ky.) 6; John Brown (Ark.) 4; Oklahoma City 4; Lyon (Ark.) 4.

NAIA Women's Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 2 Freed-Hardeman (8) 9-1 219

2 1 Oklahoma City (1) 5-1 212

3 3 Vanguard (Calif.) 4-0 204

4 4 Westminster (Utah) 8-0 199

5 5 Campbellsville (Ky.) 11-1 192

6 6 Wiley (Texas) 6-0 178

7 8 Oklahoma Baptist 8-1 176

8 11 Loyola (La.) 9-0 171

9 9 Bethel (Tenn.) 9-2 163

10 24 Langston (Okla.) 8-0 149

11 13 Westmont (Calif.) 7-2 139

12 11 Our Lady of the Lake 5-2 136

13 15 Lewis-Clark State 11-1 135

14 RV Concordia (Calif.) 6-2 130

15 16 MidAmerica Nazarene 8-2 122

16 RV Cumberland (Tenn.) 8-3 115

17 21 MSU-Northern 14-0 110

18 RV Shawnee State (Ohio) 10-2 95

19 18 Xavier (La.) 6-4 94

20 14 The Master's (Calif.) 6-3 92

21 10 Baker (Kan.) 7-4 91

22 RV Cumberlands (Ky.) 7-4 56

23 RV Lyon (Ark.) 6-3 49

24 19 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 8-2 42

25 17 Georgetown (Ky.) 6-3 40

Others receiving votes: William Woods (Mo.) 37; Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) 30; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 22; Hope International (Calif.) 19; Great Falls (Mont.) 18; Columbia (Mo.) 14; Central Methodist (Mo.) 12; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 10; Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 9; Texas Wesleyan 5; Carroll (Mont.) 4; Pikeville (Ky.) 3; Faulkner (Ala.) 3.