WEEK OF OCTOBER 25, 2026 • ISSUE 5
The Rankings Survived. Barely.
The first countable weekend did not wait for November to bring drama. No. 2 Freed-Hardeman escaped Marian 76–75, No. 3 Arizona Christian beat Lewis-Clark State 80–79 on a buzzer-beating three, and No. 1 Grace opened with a 99–83 win. The preseason order survived opening week—but only by a possession in two of the nation’s biggest tests.
See the official preseason Top 25 →
The National Picture
Grace starts on top. The Lancers collected 14 of 19 first-place votes in the October 21 preseason poll, followed by defending national champion Freed-Hardeman, Arizona Christian, Rocky Mountain and Indiana Wesleyan. The poll is a starting line—not a verdict—for a 219-team field.
The early results made that point immediately. Freed-Hardeman needed every possession to hold off Marian, while Arizona Christian followed a 78–68 win over Taylor with a buzzer-beating escape against Lewis-Clark State. Grace handled IU Northwest, 99–83, to protect the top spot on opening night.
Games to Circle
- No. 7 Georgetown vs. No. 3 Arizona Christian — Thursday, Oct. 29, 6 p.m. CT, Parkville, Missouri. The Remy Williams Memorial Classic opens with an immediate top-seven test.
- No. 2 Freed-Hardeman vs. St. Thomas — Friday, Oct. 30, noon CT. The defending champions return after surviving a one-point opener.
- No. 7 Georgetown vs. No. 9 LSU Shreveport — Friday, Oct. 30, 3 p.m. CT, Parkville. Two top-10 teams meet before the season is two weeks old.
Open the complete Oct. 22–30 watch guide →
Stock Watch
↑ Warner: The Royals earned an 84–78 road win over receiving-votes IU South Bend. That is an early result worth noticing—and a reason to keep Warner on the radar.
↑ Carroll: The Saints left California 2–0 after knocking off No. 20 Hope International, 74–70, on the road. A ranked win away from home is a strong opening-week statement.
↑ Marian: Stock can rise even in a loss. The Knights pushed No. 2 Freed-Hardeman to the wire in a 76–75 road defeat—an impressive showing against the defending national champions.
↔ Preseason breathing room: There is almost none. The teams ranked second and third each played a one-point game before the first full weekend was over. Nobody needs to panic, but nobody gets to hide behind a number, either.
National Stat Leaders
Opening-week snapshot from the 2026–27 NAIA/PrestoSports leaderboards supplied October 25. Games played are shown in each graphic. Scoring and rebounding are per-game averages; assists, steals and blocks are season totals—not per-game rankings. Small samples make these early numbers especially volatile.
Points per game
T. Price sets the early scoring pace: Brescia’s entry leads the displayed board at 45.0 points per game, followed by UHSP’s J. Coleman at 33.0. Three players share 29.0; all five have played one game.
Rebounds per game
W. Robinson leads on the glass: Milligan’s entry sits at 17.0 rebounds per game, one ahead of Wiley’s J. Brown. All five displayed players have played one game.
Assists (totals)
Sharing the ball: A. Tanner and M. Toliver share the displayed lead with 11 total assists across two games apiece. G. Carpenter, T. Cave and K. Ellis each have 10 in one game.
Steals (totals)
Three share the total-steals lead: M. Samuels has seven in one game; M. Toliver and A. Yamilkoski each have seven in two games.
Blocks (totals)
Protecting the rim: S. Hoepker has five blocks in one game; J. Ray and Z. Whitehead also have five, each across two games.
Field-goal percentage
A perfect start: All five displayed players are shooting 100.0% through one game. The screenshot does not show attempts or qualification thresholds, and additional players may share the tie.
Around the Association
- No. 18 Georgia Gwinnett opened with a 96–54 win over Columbia International. Jahiem Berry led the Grizzlies with 22 points.
- No. 10 Cumberlands cleared the century mark in a 102–67 victory over Simmons.
- Warner earned an 84–78 win over IU South Bend in an early receiving-votes matchup.
- Southwestern coach Matt O’Brien reached 400 career wins—another milestone for one of the game’s steadiest programs.
ON THE ROAD
The Remy Williams Memorial Classic
Junior heads to Parkville, Missouri, October 29–31 for a four-team event featuring No. 3 Arizona Christian, No. 7 Georgetown, No. 9 LSU Shreveport and host Park. The event honors Remington “Remy” Williams, the beloved manager of Georgetown’s 2019 national championship team, and the spirit of service and leadership he represented.
Quick Links
Rankings reflect the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll released October 21, 2026. Times are Central and subject to change. Verify schedules and streaming availability with the host school before tipoff.
