Unbeaten East Texas Baptist is the No. 1 team in the AVCA Week 12 poll ahead of the NCAA tourney. The Tigers are still somehow four shy of getting all 86 first-place votes.
Rounding out the top five this week are No. 2 Illinois Wesleyan, No. 3 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, No. 4 Wisconsin-Eau Claire and La Verne. IWU has never been ranked higher.
Other Region VIII/IX teams in the Week 12 top 25: No. 13 Wisconsin-Whitewater; No. 21 Washington-St. Louis; No. 22 Dubuque; No. 25 Gustavus Adolphus.
Region VIII/IX programs also receiving votes this week: St. Olaf; Northwestern; Edgewood; Saint Benedict; Coe.
-Ricky Nelson