Gold Nuggets No. 5 in NAIA After Climbing Two Places

CARMEN NELSON
5'-7"Senior
Hometown: Jonesboro, Georgia

NEW ORLEANS — For the first time since March 3, Xavier University of Louisiana made a move in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Gold Nuggets are No. 5 after climbing two places Tuesday.

The Gold Nuggets (15-9) passed Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and Brenau, both of whom lost to lower-ranked NAIA opponents since the previous poll. Xavier's only dual match since March 31 was a Sunday loss at West Florida, ranked eighth in NCAA Division II. The Nuggets closed March with four consecutive road victories against NAIA teams ranked 11-24.

Embry-Riddle remained sixth, and Brenau — a 5-4 neutral-site winner Feb. 23 against Xavier — fell from third to eighth. Xavier had spent the previous four polls at No. 7 after ranking third in the season's first two polls.

The XU women are in the top 25 for the 28th consecutive time and in the top 10 for the 22nd consecutive time.

The NAIA will unveil new rankings at 4 p.m. CDT Monday, then announce one hour later the 24 qualifiers for the NAIA National Championships at Mobile, Ala. Xavier has no remaining duals before the bracket announcement, and the Nuggets likely will receive one of nine at-large bids. The national tournament will be played May 12-16.

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll
First-place votes in parentheses -- records through April 26

RANK PREVIOUS SCHOOL W-L POINTS
1 1 Georgia Gwinnett (11) 8-6 342
2 2 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (2) 19-4 333
3 4 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 15-7 317
4 5 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 14-4 308
5 7 Xavier (La.) 15-9 301
6 6 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 13-5 283
7 18 William Carey (Miss.) 12-7 278
8 3 Brenau (Ga.) 12-5 266
9 8 Northwood (Fla.) 8-6 263
10 12 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 21-2 237
11 14 Concordia (Calif.) 12-11 223
12 10 Oklahoma Baptist 11-7 204
12 9 Arizona Christian 22-2 204
14 15 Northwestern Ohio 17-6 198
15 16 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 7-12 197
16 13 Evangel (Mo.) 10-3 196
17 19 Vanguard (Calif.) 8-16 147
18 20 Cumberland (Tenn.) 12-8 145
19 17 Graceland (Iowa) 8-3 142
20 11 Westmont (Calif.) 13-9 136
21 21 Davenport (Mich.) 16-10 113
22 RV LSU-Alexandria (La.) 10-2 107
23 22 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 16-7 106
24 24 Southeastern (Fla.) 12-5 94
25 23 Coastal Georgia 9-7 86

Others Receiving Votes: Indiana Wesleyan 67, Aquinas (Mich.) 35, St. Thomas (Fla.) 31, Missouri Valley 28, Campbellsville (Ky.) 24, SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) 18, McPherson (Kan.) 18, Marian (Ind.) 16, Reinhardt (Ga.) 3

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/