NCAA Division II Regional Rankings
INDIANAPOLIS – Carson-Newman dropped to No. 3 in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Rankings despite going 2-0 on the week, the NCAA announced Wednesday afternoon.
The top-six teams in each region comprise the NCAA Division II playoff field, with the top-two seeds in each region collecting a bye and a home game in the playoffs.
Columbus State still holds onto the top-spot in the regional rankings. However, the Cougars fell to Georgia College over the weekend 2-1. The Eagles beat Georgia College 5-1 on Sept. 3.
Flagler jumped C-N in the rankings and now sits at No. 2 after collecting wins over Clayton State and Young Harris. Flagler and Columbus State will meet on Friday, Nov. 3 in the Peach Belt Conference Semifinals.
Strength of schedule makes a major play into the regional rankings which puts Carson-Newman in that No. 3 spot even if the United Soccer Coaches National Poll has them at No. 2 in the nation. Flagler sits at No. 18 nationally, while Columbus State dropped from eight to 10 due to their loss.
The matches for the Eagles against King and Coker, two of the teams that sit near the bottom of the respective conferences, did not bolster C-N's in-region ratings percentage index.
Conceivably, if the Eagles win out and collect their third straight conference tournament title, they would jump back into the conversation for one or two in the region.
C-N travels to Rock Hill, S.C. on Friday to face off against Tusculum in the South Atlantic Conference semifinals. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m.
The Eagles will find out their fate for the NCAA playoffs on Monday, Nov. 6 when the selection show takes place at 6:00 p.m.