Bearcats are Ranked #4 in West Region of NCAA Division III in Women's Soccer

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's soccer team is ranked #4 in the West Region of NCAA Division III in this week's poll released by the United Soccer Coaches. The Bearcats are undefeated at 10-0-3 overall and hold first place in the Northwest Conference standings with a 7-0-3 record.

Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) tops the West Region Poll with a 10-1-1 record against NCAA Division III opponents. University of Texas at Dallas is #2 with a 13-0-1 record. Trinity University (Texas0 is listed at #3 with an 11-1-1 record. Wilamette is #4 with a 9-0-3 record in games versus Division III foes. Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) holds the #5 ranking at 9-2-2.

University of Puget Sound is #6 in the poll with an 8-4-2 record in Division III. University of Redlands (Calif.) follows at #7 with an 8-4-1 mark, while Occidental College (Calif.) is #8 at 7-1-4. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) owns the #9 ranking at 8-3-2 and Pacific Lutheran University is #10 at 7-3-3.

The West Region Poll had a few changes this week from a week ago. UT-Dallas moved up one position into the #2 spot, while Trinity fell from #2 to #3. Occidental lost to Redlands, 2-1, and fell from #5 down to #8. Whitworth University, previously listed at #7, fell out of the top 10 after losing to Pacific Lutheran University, 2-0, and to Puget Sound, 1-0.

Ponoma-Pitzer moved up one spot to #5, while Puget Sound and Redlands each advanced two notches up to #6 and #7, respectively. Mary Hardin-Baylor went up from #10 to #9. Pacific Lutheran, unranked in the West Region a week ago, entered the poll at #10 this week.

In this week's NCAA Division III National Poll, Washington University (Mo.) is ranked #1 with a 13-0-0 record. Messiah College (Pa.) holds the #2 ranking at 12-1-0. Williams College (Mass.) is #3 at 11-0-2.

The top West Region team in the National Poll is Hardin-Simmons at #10. UT-Dallas is #20 and Trinity is #21.

Willamette will take on Puget Sound in a key West Region match-up on Saturday, Oct. 20 in Tacoma, Washington. The Bearcats will conclude the weekend by taking on George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, on Sunday, Oct. 21. Both games will start at 12 p.m. (PDT).