Oskaloosa–The William Penn women’s golf team’s battle for a national crown will start as a squad just outside of the top 20 as the NAIA released its final top-25 poll Thursday.

The Statesmen remained 21st in the nation with 186 points.  The Heart of America Athletic Conference champions is the league’s lone nationals representative and will join Morningside (GPAC champions) as the only programs from the state of Iowa at the NAIA National Championships on May 17-20 in Pooler, Ga.

William Woods (Mo.) is still #1 in the ranking with 527 points and 13 first-place votes.  Keiser (Fla.) (six first-place votes), Dalton State (Ga.), Oklahoma City, and Cumberlands (Ky.) round out the top five.

WPU will find out its first and second-round pairing partners Friday afternoon.

NAIA Women’s Golf Final Rating – May 5, 2016
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. William Woods (Mo.) (13)
2. Keiser (Fla.) (6)
3. Dalton State (Ga.)
4. Oklahoma City
5. Cumberlands (Ky.)
6. South Carolina Beaufort
7. SCAD Savannah (Ga.)
8. Bellevue (Neb.)
9. Wayland Baptist (Texas)
10. Coastal Georgia
11. Texas Wesleyan
12. British Columbia
13. Milligan (Tenn.)
14. Thomas (Ga.)
15. SCAD Atlanta (Ga.)
16. Campbellsville (Ky.)
17. William Carey (Miss.)
18. Indiana Tech
19. Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
20. Victoria (B.C.)
21. William Penn
22. Marian (Ind.)
23. Arizona Christian
24. Mobile (Ala.)
25. Rocky Mountain (Mont.)

Others receiving votes: Southeastern (Fla.) 83, Faulkner (Ala.) 76, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 74, Lawrence Tech (Mich.) 66, Madonna (Mich.) 29, Corban (Ore.) 10, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 10, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 8, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 4, Bethel (Ind.) 4.

Story provided by Wade Steinlage