Oskaloosa–The Statesmen football team will use the rest of its spring practices and the entire summer to prove the national raters wrong as William Penn fell one position in the NAIA’s spring top-25 rating which was released Monday.

The Statesmen (7-4 in 2015, 3-2 North) dropped one slot to #25 with 30 points.  The Heart of America Athletic Conference is also represented by #5 Baker (Kan.), #6 Grand View, and #20 Benedictine (Kan.), while Missouri Valley (#27) and Peru State (Neb.) (tied for #28) are in the receiving votes section.

Defending national champion Marian (Ind.) is #1 with 314 points and all 14 first-place votes.  Runner-up Southern Oregon is second, while Morningside, Saint Francis (Ind.), and Baker round out the top five.

William Penn will open its 2016 season by hosting Missouri Valley on August 27 in a Heart crossover game at 6 p.m.

NAIA Football Spring Rating – April 11, 2016
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Marian (Ind.) (14)
2. Southern Oregon
3. Morningside
4. Saint Francis (Ind.)
5. Baker (Kan.)
6. Grand View
7. Montana Tech
8. Tabor (Kan.)
9. Doane (Neb.)
10. Reinhardt (Ga.)
11. Saint Xavier (Ill.)
12. Campbellsville (Ky.)
13. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
14. Kansas Wesleyan
15. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
16. Montana Western
17. St. Francis (Ill.)
18. Dickinson State (N.D.)
19. Point (Ga.)
20. Benedictine (Kan.)
21. St. Ambrose
22. Arizona Christian
23. Georgetown (Ky.)
24. Faulkner (Ala.)
25. William Penn

Others receiving votes: Sterling (Kan.) 10; Missouri Valley 9; Cumberlands (Ky.) 4; Peru State (Neb.) 4; Webber International (Fla.) 4; Robert Morris (Ill.) 3.