For the first time ever, Montana Tech's women's basketball team has cracked the top 10.
The Orediggers moved up to No. 6 in Wednesday's Gared NAIA coaches' top 25 poll, the NAIA office announced. Montana Tech also received a first-place vote for the first time in program history.
Montana Tech was the highest-ranked Frontier Conference and West Region team in the ballot, jumping up 10 spots from the preseason ranking of No. 16. The Orediggers are 5-0 in the season's early going, including wins over No. 2-, No. 10-, and No. 22-ranked teams.
Bethel (Tenn.) moved up to No. 1 in Wednesday's rankings, collecting 14 first-place votes, followed by No. 2 Dordt, which collected three. No. 4 Saint Francis (Ind.), Montana Tech, and No. 8 Georgetown (Ky.) each received one top nod.
No. 12 Rocky Mountain, No. 14 Carroll, No. 24 Dakota State, and No. 25 MSU-Northern also represented the Frontier Conference in the rankings.
The Orediggers will have another test against a ranked opponent this weekend when No. 23 Oregon Tech pays a visit to Valley Bank Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.
Gared NAIA women's basketball coaches' top 25 poll (Nov. 11)
Trend
Rank
Last time
Institution [first-place votes]
Record
▲
1
4
Bethel (Tenn.) [14]
3-0
▲
2
7
Dordt (Iowa) [3]
4-0
▲
3
5
Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)
5-0
▲
4
9
Saint Francis (Ind.) [1]
5-0
▼
5
2
Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
3-1
▲
6
16
Montana Tech [1]
5-0
▼
7
1
Marian (Ind.)
3-1
▲
8
11
Georgetown (Ky.) [1]
6-0
▲
9
10
Concordia (Neb.)
3-1
▲
10
14
Indiana Wesleyan
4-0
▲
11
13
Rio Grande (Ohio)
4-0
▼
T-12
8
Campbellsville (Ky.)
3-2
•
T-12
12
Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
2-0
▲
14
24
Carroll (Mont.)
4-0
▲
15
18
Hastings (Neb.)
2-0
▼
16
15
Benedictine (Kan.)
4-0
▲
17
25
Spring Arbor (Mich.)
5-0
▼
18
17
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
3-0
▼
19
6
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
4-2
▼
20
19
Loyola (La.)
2-0
▼
21
20
College of the Ozarks (Mo.)
2-2
▲
22
RV
Faulkner (Ala.)
4-0
•
23
23
Oregon Tech
3-1
▼
24
3
Dakota State (S.D.)
1-4
▲
25
NR
Montana State-Northern
4-0
Dropped from Top 25: College of Idaho, Southeastern (Fla.)
Receiving votes: Bethel (Kan.), Briar Cliff (Iowa), College of Idaho, Corban (Ore.), Evangel (Mo.), Huntington (Ind.), Indiana Tech, Reinhardt (Ga.), Southeastern (Fla.), Texas A&M – San Antonio
Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.comFacebook, and follow the Orediggers on X and Instagram at @DiggerAthletics.
This content is sourced from
Montana Technological University
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
