KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The University of Pikeville women's golf team moved up in the first regular season coaches poll, released by the NAIA national office on Friday afternoon.
 
UPike and Coach Nelson Scott are ranked 16^th this week, up one spot from the preseason ratings.
 
UPike is the second of four AAC schools in the rankings, following No. 5 SCAD Atlanta. Truett McConnell (Ga.) is 22^nd, while Milligan (Tenn.) is 24^th.
 
"We feel good about where we are and how we've played to start the season," said Scott. "We were hoping to be higher in the poll, but I suppose everybody feels that way.
 
"We're glad to be in the mix and hope to finish the semester strong to put us in a position to make a run to the national tournament in May."
 
The women's bowling program is trying to become the first ever to qualify for the national tournament.
 
The very top of the poll remained the same as Keiser (Fla.) and British Columbia didn't move. Dalton State (Ga.), which the Bears competed against in the Invite at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, Fla., moved up three spots to No. 3.
 
Marian (Ind.), which the Bears saw at the Rohrman Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind., to open the season, remained fourth, followed by SCAD Atlanta, up two spots to No. 5.
 
Truett McConnell is down six spots from the preseason rankings, while Milligan fell four spots from the preseason poll.
 
UPike is preparing to head to Acworth, Ga., to compete in the AAC Fall Preview to wrap up the fall semester. That tournament is Oct. 20-21 at the Governors Towne Club.