INDIANAPOLIS – Carson-Newman has debuted in sixth in the NCAA's first region rankings, released Monday afternoon.
If the season ended this week, Carson-Newman would qualify for the NCAA playoffs. The region rankings are used to determine the field of 28 teams that comprise the NCAA Division II playoff field. The top seven teams from each super region advance to postseason play, with the top seed from each region receiving a bye.
The two-seed hosts the seven, the three-seed the six, and the four-seed the five. The NCAA playoffs begin Nov. 17.
The Gulf South's West Georgia and Valdosta State occupy the top two spots in the region rankings. Those two teams are both 8-0 and collide in the final week of the regular season.
Lenoir-Rhyne occupies the third spot in the region rankings. The Eagles are on a collision course with the Bears for week 10, presuming that Carson-Newman makes it out of Tusculum unscathed and L-R gets by UNC Pembroke without issue.
The Gulf South has the fourth spot in the rankings with Florida Tech. The Panthers' only two losses have come to West Georgia and Valdosta State. They finish the year with trips to West Alabama and Shorter sandwiched around a home game with North Greenville.
CIAA North Division front runner Bowie State occupies the spot directly in front of the Eagles. BSU just knocked off Virginia Union, who sits in eighth, and whom C-N defeated earlier this year. The Bulldogs wrap up the year with Lincoln and Elizabeth City State before presumably playing for a CIAA title game the final week of the year.
SIAC powerhouse Morehouse represents the final playoff spot in seventh. The Maroon Tigers finish the year with dates against Fort Valley State and Clark Atlanta before the SIAC title game looms.
Virginia Union, Tuskegee an Albany State are on the outside looking in for the first region ranking.
The Eagles are members of Super Region II along with other schools from the South Atlantic Conference, Gulf South Conference, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
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SUPER REGION TWO |
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1 |
West Ga. |
8-0 |
8-0 |
|
2 |
Valdosta St. |
8-0 |
8-0 |
|
3 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
7-1 |
7-1 |
|
4 |
Florida Tech |
6-2 |
6-2 |
|
5 |
Bowie St. |
5-1 |
6-1 |
|
6 |
Carson-Newman |
5-2 |
5-2 |
|
7 |
Morehouse |
6-1 |
6-1 |
|
8 |
Virginia Union |
5-2 |
5-2 |
|
9 |
Tuskegee |
5-1 |
5-2 |
|
10 |
Albany St. (GA) |
5-3 |
5-3 |
