SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University moved to #22 in this week's NCAA Division III Poll sponsored by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and released on Monday, Oct. 26. The Bearcats are 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the Northwest Conference.
Willamette was ranked #14 a week ago, but lost to arch rival Linfield College, ranked #8, 30-27, at McCulloch Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 24. Linfield advanced one spot to #7 in this week's poll.
Mount Union College (Ohio), 7-0, received 39 of 40 first place votes and 997 points to retain the #1 ranking. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 7-0, received the remaining first place vote and 961 points the #2 position in the poll.
Wesley College (Del.), 7-0, moved up one spot to #3 with 905 points, after the previous #3, Wheaton College (Illinois), lost to North Central College (Illinois), 27-7. North Central, 6-1, ranked #12 last week, jumped to #9 in this week's poll, while Wheaton, 6-1, fell to #14.
At #4 this week with 854 points, is St. John's University (Minn.), 8-0, up one spot from a week ago. Central College (Iowa), 8-0, also advanced one position to #5 with 802 points. Washington and Jefferson College (Pa.) climbed one spot in the poll to #6 with 777 points. Linfield at #7 received 764 points.
Willamette does not play this coming weekend, but the Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 7, when they travel to Tacoma, Wash., to take on the University of Puget Sound. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (PST).
The Bearcats will conclude the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Menlo College in Atherton, Calif. Game time against Menlo is slated for 12 p.m. (PST).
Quarterback Brian Widing threw a 27-yard TD pass to Scott Schoettgen in WU's game against Linfield.
