Statesmen Head into Offseason at No. 12

Oskaloosa--The William Penn football team wrapped up the most successful season in program history with its best ranking in over 10 years as the NAIA released its postseason top-25 poll Monday, sponsored by Netting Professionals.

WPU (11-2) moved up two rungs to a season-best No. 12 with 276 points.  It is the ninth time the navy and gold have been featured in the top 25 this fall (seventh consecutive).  The rating is also the highest for the program since being No. 12 on September 14, 2015.

Five programs from the Heart of America Athletic Conference are again in the rating.  National champion Grand View is No. 1 with all 16 first-place votes, while Benedictine finishes third.  MidAmerica Nazarene (unofficially No. 30) and Baker (No. 32) are in the receiving votes section as well.

Keiser (Fla.) is second in the NAIA, while College of Idaho and Montana Tech are fourth and fifth, respectively, to conclude the top five.

NAIA Football Postseason Rating -- January 5, 2026
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Grand View (16)
2. Keiser (Fla.)
3. Benedictine (Kan.)
4. College of Idaho
5. Montana Tech
6. Friends (Kan.)
7. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
8. Morningside
9. Dordt
10. Indiana Wesleyan
11. Campbellsville (Ky.)
12. William Penn
13. Carroll (Mont.)
14. Southeastern (Fla.)
15. Marian (Ind.)
16. Saint Francis (Ind.)
17. St. Thomas (Fla.)
18. Montana Western
19. Evangel (Mo.)
20. Georgetown (Ky.)
21. Southwestern (Kan.)
22. McPherson (Kan.)
23. Reinhardt (Ga.)
24. Texas Wesleyan
25. Dakota State (S.D.)

Receiving votes: OUAZ (Ariz.) 80, Cumberland (Tenn.) 62, Northwestern 56, Concordia (Neb.) 48, Taylor (Ind.) 31, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 22, Louisiana Christian 8, Baker (Kan.) 6.