Marlins Ranked 1st, Yellow Jackets 2nd

FOREST, Va. --- The NCAA released its first set of regional rankings for men’s basketball on Wednesday with the ODAC earning the top two spots.  Virginia Wesleyan sits atop the poll in the South Region, followed closely by ODAC counterpart Randolph-Macon College.

NCAA Division III men’s basketball is comprised of eight regions across the nation. The South Region attributes rankings to eight schools. Ferrum College owns the third spot, followed by Centre (Ky.) in fourth, Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tx.) fifth, Texas-Dallas sixth, Emory (Ga.) seventh, and East Texas Baptist in eighth.

New rankings will be determined each week through the end of conference tournament action. The rankings compiled through the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Committee aid in determining at-large bids into the NCAA postseason tournament.

Virginia Wesleyan (18-1 overall, 9-1 ODAC) got off to a smooth start this season.  The Marlins’ only loss is to Guilford two weeks ago, where they fell, 64-61, to the Quakers.  VWC is led by freshman guard DJ Woodmore, who is putting up 12.7 points per night.  Junior forward Donald Vaughn is helping out at both ends of the floor, contributing 11.7 markers and grabbing a conference-best 8.3 rebounds per game. 

Randolph-Macon (18-3 overall, 10-2 ODAC) has already experienced a 13-game winning streak this season.  Guilford snapped its streak last week with a 62-61 victory over the Yellow Jackets.   R-MC is paced by senior forwards Danny Jones and Brandon Braxton.  Jones and Braxton are knocking down a combined 26 points per night and 10 rebounds per game.  Jones is also shooting a league-best 61.8 percent from the floor.

Several key matchups remain throughout the conference amongst teams throughout the league.  Use the links below to view the poll and rankings in their entirety.  For more information on ODAC men's basketball and the rest of the ODAC's sponsored sports, visit any of the member schools' websites or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.

NCAA Division III Regional Rankings
NCAA Division III National Statistics Rankings

South Region Rankings (Overall Record / Region Record)

1. Virginia Wesleyan 18-1 /14-1
2. Randolph-Macon 18-3 / 16-3
3. Ferrum 18-2 / 16-2
4. Centre 15-3 / 13-3
5. Mary Hardin-Baylor 15-4 / 15-4
6. Texas-Dallas 14-5 / 13-4
7. Emory 14-4 / 14-4
8. East Texas Baptist 13-5 / 12-5