MSUB Ranked Ninth Nationally in NCSA Collegiate Power Poll

BILLINGS, Mont. – The National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) announced its annual Power Rankings for 2009 and placed Montana State Billings ninth among all NCAA Division II schools with a power ranking of 141.33.

“We are pleased to receive this official acknowledgement of recognition from the NCSA,” MSUB Director of Athletics Dr. Gary Gray said.  “At MSUB, our student-athletes work hard to excel athletically and academically so we are very excited to see them and the university recognized in this way.”

The Collegiate Power Rankings from NCSA are calculated for each college/university at the NCAA Division I, II and III levels by averaging the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup ranking, the NCAA student-athlete graduation rate of each college/university and the U.S. News & World Report ranking. The collegiate power rankings based off of the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup rating evaluates the strength of NCAA athletic departments, while the U.S. News & World Report rating recognizes institutions of academic excellence. The student-athlete graduation rates are based on those provided by the NCAA. 

For the 2009 rankings, MSUB had an academic rate of 134, athletic rank of 142 and a NCAA graduate rateof 148.  The academic rate and athletic rate are based on all Division II schools, while the NCAA graduate rate is based on all three NCAA Divisions.

The Yellowjackets are the only Great Northwest Athletic Conference school in the top 10 and only Alaska Fairbanks (37th) joins them in the top 100.

This is the first time MSUB has made the top 100 since the poll began in 2004.  UC-San Diego has been the top school in Division II since 2007 and was second behind Stonehill College in 2006.  The GNAC has had some success in this poll as Western Washington and Central Washington were in the top 20 in 2006 as number five and 19, respectively.  Seattle Pacific was 19th in 2007, while WWU was 58th and Saint Martin’s was 59th.  SMU had the top NCAA graduate rate in 2007 of all divisions.  In 2008, Alaska Fairbanks was 26th.

For the complete top 100, please click on the following link http://www.ncsasports.org/about-ncsa/power-rankings/(year)/2009/(tab)/2