KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The first regular-season
Gared NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll saw plenty of movement as only two teams remained the same rank as the preseason poll. The Carroll Women's Basketball team was among the biggest movers, jumping up to No. 14 in the first Poll of the season.
The Fighting Saints (4-0) are off to their best start since the 2020-21 season, impressing in each of their four early-season victories. Carroll's hot start has drawn the attention of the nation's coaches, as the Saints leapt 10 spots from their No. 24 rank in the Preseason Poll, now checking in at No. 14 in the NAIA.
The 10-spot jump in the national ranks is tied with Montana Tech for the biggest move in the season's initial Poll.
Carroll is one of five Frontier Conference teams to appear inside the Top-25. Dakota State began the year at No. 3 in the NAIA, but a 1-4 start to the season has seen them plummet to No. 24 in the Poll. Tech jumped 10 spots from No. 16 to No. 6 following their 5-0 start to the year, while Rocky remained at No. 12, now tied with Campbellsville (Ky.) one spot ahead of the Saints. MSU-Northern joined the national ranks this week, appearing at No. 25 following their 4-0 start to the season as well.
The Saints continue a streak of being either ranked or receiving votes in every single NAIA Coaches' Poll since the NAIA Division I and Division II merger in 2019.
Carroll has a weekend off, as they prepare for a showdown in Helena next Saturday against No. 12 Rocky in the Frontier Conference opener, followed by an Exhibition at NCAA Division I Montana, and their annual Thanksgiving Classic in two weeks.
Below is this week's full 2026-27 NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top-25 Poll:
| TREND |
RANK |
LAST TIME |
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] |
RECORD |
| ▲ |
1 |
4 |
Bethel (Tenn.) [14] |
3-0 |
| ▲ |
2 |
7 |
Dordt (Iowa) [3] |
4-0 |
| ▲ |
3 |
5 |
Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) |
5-0 |
| ▲ |
4 |
9 |
Saint Francis (Ind.) [1] |
5-0 |
| ▼ |
5 |
2 |
Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) |
3-1 |
| ▲ |
6 |
16 |
Montana Tech [1] |
5-0 |
| ▼ |
7 |
1 |
Marian (Ind.) |
3-1 |
| ▲ |
8 |
11 |
Georgetown (Ky.) [1] |
6-0 |
| ▲ |
9 |
10 |
Concordia (Neb.) |
3-1 |
| ▲ |
10 |
14 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
4-0 |
| ▲ |
11 |
13 |
Rio Grande (Ohio) |
4-0 |
| ▼ |
T-12 |
8 |
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
3-2 |
| ● |
T-12 |
12 |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
2-0 |
| ▲ |
14 |
24 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
4-0 |
| ▲ |
15 |
18 |
Hastings (Neb.) |
2-0 |
| ▼ |
16 |
15 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
4-0 |
| ▲ |
17 |
25 |
Spring Arbor (Mich.) |
5-0 |
| ▼ |
18 |
17 |
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) |
3-0 |
| ▼ |
19 |
6 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
4-2 |
| ▼ |
20 |
19 |
Loyola (La.) |
2-0 |
| ▼ |
21 |
20 |
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) |
2-2 |
| ▲ |
22 |
RV |
Faulkner (Ala.) |
4-0 |
| ● |
23 |
23 |
Oregon Tech |
3-1 |
| ▼ |
24 |
3 |
Dakota State (S.D.) |
1-4 |
| ▲ |
25 |
NR |
Montana State-Northern |
4-0 |
Dropped from Top 25: College of Idaho, Southeastern (Fla.)
Receiving Votes: Bethel (Kan.), Briar Cliff (Iowa), College of Idaho, Corban (Ore.), Evangel (Mo.), Huntington (Ind.), Indiana Tech, Reinhardt (Ga.), Southeastern (Fla.), Texas A&M – San Antonio
Be sure to visit www.carrollathletics.com for complete coverage of the Fighting Saints all season long.
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