Trojans Return to NAIA Top 25 Poll
Dakota State returned inside the NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 national poll for the first time since last season, in the final edition of the national poll.
The Trojans were listed in the receiving votes for most of the season and moved to No. 24 ranking in the final edition of the national poll. DSU was sitting at No. 27 spot in the previous poll with 102 points and gained 59 more points in the current national poll, moving to No. 24 spot with 161 points.
It was one year ago when the Trojans were ranked inside the NAIA’s Top 25 national poll on Feb. 23, 2022, ironically at No. 24 ranking.
Dakota State has a 24-5 overall record prior to the NSAA postseason tournament’s Final Four this weekend at Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D. The Trojans wrapped up their North Star regular season conference title outright with a 13-1 record, the first time since 2006-08 that DSU had won three straight regular season titles.
The Trojans carry their season-long 14-game winning streak Saturday afternoon as they take on Dickinson State in their semifinal game Saturday at 1pm. Game can be heard on FM 103.1 or online at AmazingMadison.com.
Below is the complete list of the 2022-23 NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 national poll:
| 2022-23 NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 National Poll – Final – 2/22/23 | ||||
| Rank | Last
Time |
School (First-place votes) | 2022-23
Record |
Points |
| 1 | 2 | Central Methodist (Mo.) (21) | 28-0 | 591 |
| 2 | 3 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 27-1 | 572 |
| 3 | 1 | Thomas More (Ky.) | 26-2 | 551 |
| 4 | 4 | Dordt (Iowa) | 26-2 | 524 |
| 5 | 7 | Indiana Wesleyan | 25-3 | 510 |
| 6 | 5 | Westmont (Calif.) | 23-2 | 509 |
| 7 | 8 | Clarke (Iowa) | 25-3 | 459 |
| 8 | 6 | Marian (Ind.) | 24-4 | 443 |
| 9 | 9 | Loyola (La.) | 25-1 | 440 |
| 10 | 10 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 26-2 | 430 |
| 11 | 11 | Carroll (Mont.) | 23-5 | 422 |
| T12 | 13 | Rio Grande (Ohio) | 25-3 | 356 |
| T12 | 14 | Eastern Oregon | 26-2 | 356 |
| 14 | 12 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 21-5 | 350 |
| 15 | 15 | Montana Western | 24-4 | 337 |
| 16 | 16 | Indiana Tech | 24-4 | 337 |
| 17 | 17 | Texas Wesleyan | 24-4 | 263 |
| 18 | 23 | Briar Cliff (Iowa) | 21-7 | 249 |
| 19 | 25 | Pikeville (Ky.) | 21-7 | 234 |
| 20 | 21 | Sterling (Kan.) | 24-4 | 199 |
| 21 | 20 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 22-6 | 190 |
| 22 | 24 | Mid-America Christian (Okla.) | 23-5 | 179 |
| 23 | 19 | Jamestown (N.D.) | 21-7 | 174 |
| 24 | RV | Dakota State (S.D.) | 23-5 | 161 |
| 25 | 18 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 23-5 | 133 |
| Dropped Out:No. 22 Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
Receiving Votes (RV):Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 115; Indiana South Bend 71; Southern Oregon 57; Menlo (Calif.) 50; Texas A&M Texarkana 41; Rust (Miss.) 32; Bryan (Tenn.) 23; Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 21; Faulkner (Ala.) 10; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 7; Midway (Ky.) 7; Philander Smith (Ark.) 3; LSU-Shreveport 3; Freed-Hardemann (Tenn.) Hope International (Calif.) 3; Grace (Ind.) 3. |
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