(WACO, TX)---Fresh off of their 35-10 opening week victory over then-No. 5 Central Washington, Minnesota-Duluth moves up one spot to No. 3 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll and received one first place vote. Northwest Missouri State still holds the top spot, garnering 23 first place votes, followed by Grand Valley State at No. 2, North Alabama at No. 4 and California (PA) rounding out the Top 5. Defending WVIAC champion West Liberty climbed a spot to No. 7. The Hilltoppers open their season on Saturday with a home date versus Edinboro (PA). Shepherd ranks among schools receiving votes after starting the year with a 35-27 win over Shippensburg.
There will be four Top 25 matchups this coming weekend with two of those being Top 10 battles. No. 2 Grand Valley State hosts No. 8 West Texas A&M on Thursday while No. 6 Abilene Christian travels to No. 9 Washburn on Saturday. In the other Top 25 matchups, No. 1 Northwest Missouri State begins defense of their national championship by hosting No. 14 Texas A&M-Kingsville while No. 5 California (PA) travels to No. 11 Saginaw Valley State.
The complete AFCA Top 25 follows:
W-L Pts.
1. Northwest Missouri State (23) 0-0 643
2. Grand Valley State, MI (1) 0-0 619
3. Minnesota-Duluth (1) 1-0 581
4. North Alabama (1) 0-0 564
5. California, PA 0-0 524
6. Abilene Christian, TX 0-0 467
7. WEST LIBERTY, WV 0-0 451
8. West Texas A&M 0-0 417
9. Washburn, KS 1-0 408
10. West Alabama 1-0 344
11. Saginaw Valley State, MI 0-0 332
12. Nebraska-Omaha 0-0 305
13. Central Washington 0-1 277
14. Texas A&M-Kingsville 0-0 274
15. Tuskegee, AL 0-0 258
16. Hillsdale, MI 0-0 242
17. Midwestern State, TX 0-0 235
18. Minnesota State-Mankato 0-0 188
19. Missouri Western State 0-0 169
20. Carson-Newman, TN 0-1 133
21. West Chester, PA 0-0 126
22. Delta State, MS 0-0 115
23. North Carolina-Pembroke 0-0 108
24. Winona State, MN 1-0 84
25. Wayne State, NE 1-0 72
Others receiving votes: Nebraska-Kearney, 52; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 44; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 43; Albany St. (Ga.), 40; Wingate (N.C.), 38; Central Missouri, 35; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 31; Morehouse (Ga.), 24; Tarleton St. (Texas), 24; Augustana (S.D.), 22; Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 20; Texas A&M-Commerce, 20; Bloomsburg (Pa.), 17; Edinboro (Pa.), 16; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 16; SHEPHERD (WV), 14; Chadron St. (Neb.), 12; Colorado School of Mines, 12; Benedict (S.C.), 8; Bentley (Mass.), 7; Clarion (Pa.), 5; Henderson St. (Ark.), 5; C.W. Post (N.Y.), 3; Findlay (Ohio), 3; Shaw (N.C.), 2; Elizabeth City St. (N.C.), 1.