Bearcats are Ranked #15 in D3football.com Top 25

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University is ranked #15 in the nation this week in the D3football.com Top 25 released on Sept. 19. The Bearcats, 2-1, defeated Southern Oregon University, ranked #24 in the NAIA, this past weekend, but slipped two spots in the rankings.

The top 12 teams in this week's poll are undefeated, all sporting 3-0 or 2-0 records. Delaware Valley College (Pa.), 2-1, which lost to #3 Wesley College (Del.), 21-17, over the weekend, fell from #8 to #13 and is the top-ranked team with one loss.

Defending NCAA Division III national champion University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 3-0, continued to hold the #1 spot. The Warhawks received 22 first place votes and 622 points in the poll. Mount Union College (Ohio), 2-0, remained #2 after taking the other three first place votes and receiving 603 points.

The #3 through #7 teams also stayed in the same positions from a week ago. Wesley College (Del.), 3-0, was #3 with 565 points, the University of St. Thomas (Minn.), 3-0, was #4 at 543 and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 2-0, was listed at #5 with 492 points. Wittenberg University (Ohio), 3-0, followed at #6 with 484 points and Central College (Iowa), 3-0, was seventh at 477.

Rounding out the Top 10 were Hardin-Simmons University (Texas), 3-0, at #8, Coe College (Iowa), 3-0, at #9 and Ohio Northern University, 2-0, at #10. HSU received 442 points, while Coe took 397 and Ohio Northern had 393.

Three West Coast teams were listed in the Top 25. Willamette held the highest ranking at #15, while Linfield followed at #16. California Lutheran University, which upset Linfield, 47-42, two weeks ago, fell to Pacific Lutheran University, 35-21, on Sept. 18 and fell from #15 to #24.

Willamette has an open date this weekend and will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 2 with the opening of Northwest Conference play at Linfield College. Kickoff in McMinnville, Ore., is slated for 1:30 p.m. (PDT).