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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University football team is ranked #22 in the nation in the latest D3football.com Top 25 released on Sunday, Oct. 14. The Bearcats, who defeated Northwest Conference rival, Lewis & Clark College, 56-20, on Saturday, are 6-0 on the season, 2-0 in the NWC.

It is the first time that Willamette has been in the D3football.com Top 25 this season. The Bearcats were ranked #24 in the AFCA Coaches Poll this past week.

The University of Mount Union (Ohio), 6-0, retained its #1 ranking in the poll with 623 points and 23 first place votes. Holding the #2 spot was the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), 6-0, with 598 points and two first place votes. Willamette rival Linfield College, 5-0 overall, 2-0 NWC, remained #3 in the Top 25 with 559 points, while University of St. Thomas (Minn.), 6-0, followed at #4 with 555 points. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 5-1, was #5 with 519 points.

A total of three teams from the West Coast were included in the rankings. In addition to Linfield and Willamette, the other West Coast team was California Lutheran University, 4-1, at #8 in the poll.

The Top 25 features 12 undefeated teams. Two teams, Franklin College (Ind.) at #23 and St. John Fisher (N.Y.) at #24, have two losses, as both teams are 4-2. All of the remaining teams in the Top 25 have lost one game this season.

Three teams from the previous poll -- Birmingham Southern College (Ala.), Wheaton College (Illinois) and Louisiana College -- fell out of the Top 25. That left room for three new teams in Alfred University (N.Y.) at #21, Willamette at #22 and Coe College (Iowa) at #25.

The D3football.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from throughout the country.

Willamette will take on Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Oct. 20 in Tacoma, Wash. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. (PDT). Pacific Lutheran received votes, but was not ranked in this week's Top 25.