Nuggets finish where they started: No. 3 in NAIA poll

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis is No. 3 in the NAIA postseason coaches poll after reaching the semifinals of the national tournament for the second straight year.
     
The Gold Nuggets (19-6) were third in all eight polls this season and matched their highest-ever ranking in the final season ranking. XULA also was third in 2013, 2014 and 2018.
     
XULA won 2-of-3 dual matches at nationals. The Gold Nuggets had a first-round bye, then defeated Cumberlands 5-0 in the round of 16 and William Woods 5-0 in the quarterfinals. Keiser eliminated the Nuggets 5-2 in the semifinals.
     
XULA was 13-2 this year against ranked opponents (12-2 NAIA, 1-0 NCAA Division II) and also defeated Texas State and Grambling of NCAA Division I.
     
It's the second consecutive year and the second time overall that both XULA tennis teams finished in the national top three. The XULA men are No. 2.
     
The Gold Nuggets' active poll streaks:
     •  65 consecutive appearances in the top 25 . . . streak began May 1, 2012.
     •  65 consecutive appearances in the top 20 . . . streak began May 1, 2012.
     •  24 consecutive appearances in the top 15 . . . streak began Feb. 28, 2017.
     •  15 consecutive appearances in the top 10 . . . streak began Feb. 27, 2018.
     •  14 consecutive appearances in the top 5 . . . streak began March 13, 2018.
     •  12 consecutive appearances in the top 4 . . . streak began April 10, 2018.
     •  11 consecutive appearances in the top 3 . . . streak began April 24, 2018.
 

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through end of season)

RANK	PREVIOUS	SCHOOL	RECORD	POINTS
1	1	Georgia Gwinnett (14)	20-1	374
2	2	Keiser (Fla.)	21-5	362
3	3	Xavier (La.)	19-6	350
4	4	William Carey (Miss.)	15-3	338
5	5	SCAD Savannah (Ga.)	12-4	325
6	6	William Woods (Mo.)	16-7	312
7	7	Middle Georgia State	12-6	303
8	10	Brenau (Ga.)	14-7	292
9	9	Indiana Wesleyan	30-7	276
10	8	Cardinal Stritch (Wis.)	15-7	261
11	12	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	11-6	245
12	14	Loyola (La.)	13-10	239
13	15	Union (Ky.)	13-5	232
14	11	Westmont (Calif.)	20-6	229
15	17	LSU-Alexandria (La.)	8-5	202
16	22	Cumberlands (Ky.)	11-7	201
17	16	Georgetown (Ky.)	16-6	177
18	17	Mobile (Ala.)	9-8	166
19	13	SCAD Atlanta (Ga.)	11-9	159
20	20	Cumberland (Tenn.)	11-8	151
21	19	San Diego Christian (Calif.)	16-3	137
22	21	Southeastern (Fla.)	16-4	119
23	23	Martin Methodist (Tenn.)	8-11	99
24	24	Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)	14-2	91
25	25	Marian (Ind.)	15-10	72

Dropped from the Top 25:  none
Others Receiving Votes: Missouri Valley 64, Asbury (Ky.) 53, Campbellsville (Ky.) 46, McPherson (Kan.) 40, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 18, Northwestern Ohio 16, Ottawa (Kan.) 13, Webber International (Fla.) 10, Tennessee Wesleyan 10, Hastings (Neb.) 8

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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