WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- On the strength of an undefeated fall season Erika DeSanty's Williams women's golf team has improved its preseason rank of 10th to 8th at the end of the season.
The Ephs are the highest ranked NESCAC team with Middlebury 15 and Amherst 20.
The 10/26 Golf World/NGCA Division III College Women's Coaches' Poll has been released, combining the resources of Golf World magazine and the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA).
Methodist College retained the top spot in the Golf World/NGCA women's Division III coaches' poll, earning 18 of 22 first-place votes. The Monarchs have won twice through the first two months of the 2011-12 season, taking the titles at the O'Brien National Invitational and the Martin & Wallace Invitational.
Washington University of St. Louis claimed the other four first-place votes and jumped to the No. 2 spot in the ranking, thanks to four victories in five starts this fall. One of the Bears wins came at the NCAA Fall Preview, played at the site of next spring's NCAA Championship.
Rounding out the top five are DePauw, Centre and Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
One new school joined the top 10: No. 9 St. Olaf.
Five new schools moved into the top 25: No. 12 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, No. 14 Wartburg, No. 20 Amherst, No. 22 Ithica and No. 25 St. Benedict.
Visit Golf World Senior Writer Ryan Herrington's "Campus Insider" blog to find out the latest on collegiate golf: http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/campusinsider.
Golf World/NGCA Coaches' Poll
October 26, 2011
NCAA Women's Division III
Rank Team Points Last
1. Methodist (18) 546 1
2. Washington (Mo.) (4) 525 3
3. DePauw 500 2
4. Centre 463 5
5. Wisconsin-Eau Claire 424 T-6
6. Gustavus Adolphus 405 4
7. George Fox 382 8
8. Williams 381 10
9. St. Olaf 352 19
10. Illinois Wesleyan 340 T-6
11. Allegheny 328 9
12. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 299 NR
13. Mary-Hardin Baylor 249 14
14. Wartburg 231 NR
15. Middlebury 218 21
16. Birmingham So. 148 16
17. Wisconsin-Stevens Pt. 148 20
18. Olivet 143 15
19. Carleton 132 T-25
20. Amherst 129 NR
21. St. Mary's (Ind.) 118 11
22. Ithaca 109 NR
23. Southwestern 101 22
24. Wittenberg 87 T-25
25. St. Benedict 79 NR
Also receiving votes: Wisconsin-Stout, 58; Piedmont, 47; Whitworth, 37; NYU, 30; Vassar, 28; North Central, 24; Schreiner, 20; Redlands, 18; Franklin, 12; Hope, 11; Trinity, 8; Rhodes, 5; Texas Lutheran, 4; Wheaton, 3; Central, 2; Hollins, 2; Ohio Northern, 2; Concordia (Texas), 1; Otterbein, 1.
Poll conducted by the National Golf Coaches Association. Voting closed Oct. 21.
