The NAIA released the first regular season Div. I Top 25 Coaches’ Poll on Tuesday and the Raven women’s basketball team was among the top 15 in the country.

Winners of four straight and five of their last six, Benedictine (8-3) dropped from their preseason ranking of No. 12 to No. 15.

The Ravens win over Grinnell on Monday did not factor into the poll but the current winning streak helped keep Benedictine ranked inside the top 15 along with their tough non-conference schedule.

Two of Benedictine’s three losses have come against NAIA Div. II nationally-ranked opponents – current No. 2 Northwestern (Iowa) College and No. 15 College of St. Mary (Neb.). The Ravens third loss was at the hands of Friends University, who is currently the third team listed in the receiving votes category of the NAIA Div. II poll.

Benedictine is one of three teams from the HAAC to be ranked in the first regular season NAIA Div. I poll. The conference is still chasing defending champ MNU, who is ranked No. 6, while Central Methodist University moved from the preseason receiving votes category to No. 19 in the poll with their 8-1 start to the season.

The Ravens take on Central Methodist at 2 p.m. Saturday in Fayette, Mo., in an early-season showdown for a foothold on one of the HAAC’s top spots.

As a team, the Ravens currently rank inside the top 20 in NAIA Div. I in several statistical categories. They ranked 11th in 3-pointer field goals (72), they are 16th in total assists (149), they are 16th in total scoring offense (762) and are 19th in both total offensive rebounds (430) and 3-pointers per game (7.2).

Individually, Justice Payne ranks in the top 10 in two three-point categories. She is ranked eighth in 3-pointers (31) and 3-pointers per game (3.1). Chayla Rutledge is ranked 16th in field goal percentage (54.9).

In addition to two games each against MNU and Central Methodist, the Ravens have a fifth game against a current member of the NAIA Div. I Top 25. They travel to Oklahoma City to take on No. 2 Oklahoma City University on Dec. 20 to close out their 2013 schedule.

The Mid-South Conference has the highest number of member schools ranked in the latest poll with four. Six other conferences, including the HAAC, have three members ranked in the poll.

— BC Sports Information —