By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- With two shutout wins last week, Willamette University has moved to #10 in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Coaches Poll released by the United Soccer Coaches on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Willamette was ranked #12 in last week's poll. In addition, the Bearcats are ranked #1 in Region X for the second consecutive week.

Willamette downed Pacific University 5-0 in Forest Grove, Oregeon, on Saturday, Sept. 24. The Bearcats returned home and rolled past George Fox University 7-0 on Sunday, Sept. 25. Willamette is 6-0-2 on the season, including 4-0 in the Northwest Conference.

At the top of this week's NCAA Division III National Poll is the University of Chicago (Ill.), which remained #1 and upped its record to 9-0-0. Messiah University (Pa.) retained the #2 ranking with a 7-0-0 record. Stevens Institute of Technology (N.J.) claimed the #3 ranking at 7-0-1 after sharing a tie at #3 last week. The other team that was tied for #3 a week ago, Kenyon College (Ohio) moved to #4 this week at 8-0-0. North Park University (Ill.) stayed at #5 with an 8-0-0 mark.

The teams ranked from #6 to #9 did not change from last week. Johns Hopkins University (Md.) kept the #6 ranking at 6-0-2, with Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) ranked #7 at 6-0-2, Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) ranked #8 at 7-0-1, and Wesleyan University (Conn.) still at #9 with a 6-0-1 record. Willamette followed at #10. 

Calvin University (Mich.) slipped one spot to #11 at 6-1-2. Hamilton College (N.Y.) made the biggest jump within the poll, advancing from #19 to #12 with a 6-0-1 record. Also making significant leaps were the State University of New York at Oneonta, which moved from #18 to #14, the University of Saint Thomas (Texas), which advanced from #20 to #15, Christopher Newport University (Va.), which changed from #22 to #17, and Clarkson University (N.Y.), which went from #24 to #19. The United States Coast Guard Academy (N.Y.) entered the poll at #16 after receiving votes but not making the Top 25 a week ago.

In Region X, Willamette topped the rankings, with St. Thomas (Texas) holding the #2 spot at 7-0-1. Pacific Lutheran University was #3 at 6-2-0, while California Lutheran University advanced from outside the rankings to #4 with a 4-1-2 record. Occidental College (Calif.) was up three positions to #5 at 4-2-1. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) moved into the rankings at #6 (4-1-1), with Chapman University (Calif.) at #7 (4-1-2), and Colorado College at #8 (4-2-2).

Willamette will travel to the State of Washington to take on Whitworth University and Whitman College this weekend. The Bearcats will play at Whitworth on Saturday, Oct. 1 in Spokane at 2:30 p.m. (PDT). Willamette and Whitman will battle on Sunday, Oct. 2 in Walla Walla at 2:30 p.m.