chip shot Oct. 15, 2008

Dutch vault into national rankings

PELLA—Central College is 21st in the Golf World/Nike Division III men’s golf coaches’ poll.

While the Dutch were ranked much of last season, it’s the first time this fall that they’ve cracked the national rankings.

Huntingdon College (Ala.) is the new leader while St. John’s University (Minn.) dropped from No. 1 to No. 3, behind traditional power Methodist College (N.C.)

Central vaulted into the rankings on the strength of its third-place showing at the 23-team Twin Cities Classic Sept. 27-29 in a field that included several ranked teams.

The Dutch close the fall campaign by taking on several other nationally rated opponents at the Oglethorpe Royal Lakes Fall Classic at Flowery Branch, Ga. Sunday through Tuesday.

GOLF WORLD/NIKE GOLF COACHES’ POLL
Men’s Division III

Rank Team Points Last
1. Huntingdon (5) 309 5
2. Methodist (2) 304 2
3. Saint John’s (Minn.) (4) 280 1
4. Oglethorpe (Ga.) 275 4
5. Illinois Wesleyan (1) 249 10
6. Guilford (N.C.) 242 11
7. Skidmore (N.Y.) 238 6
8. Redlands (Calif.) 220 3
9. Ohio Wesleyan (1) 201 8
10. Texas-Tyler 192 12
11. Rhodes (Tenn.) 158 13
12. Emory (Ga.) 145 9
13. LaVerne (Calif.) 141 7
14. Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) 122 T-16
15. Texas Lutheran 106 18
16. La Grange (Ga.) 95 20
17. Centre 82 23
18. Texas-Dallas 76 NR
19. Greensboro  68 NR 
    Neb. Wesleyan 68 14
21. Central 64 NR
22. Allegheny 58 21
23. Wesley 49 T-16
24. Linfield 48 NR
25. Wis.-Stout 47 NR

Others receiving votes: Transylvania, 38; Olivet, 32; St. John Fisher, 30; Carthage, 26; Gustavus Adolphus, 26; Salem State, 22; Christopher Newport, 21; Bridgewater 19; McMurry, 19; NYU, 17; Trinity, 17; Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 16; Carnegie Mellon 14; Franklin & Marshall, 13; Rochester 11, Southwestern, 11; Washington & Lee, 10; Luther, 8; Piedmont, 8; Williams, 8; DePauw, 6; Otterbein, 4; Mount Union, 2; Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 1; Wisconsin Lutheran, 1.