KANSAS CITY, Mo. - If playing for the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament title tomorrow wasn't enough incentive to fuel fire to advance to the NAIA National Championships, being ranked 22nd in the country should certainly help.

The still undefeated Saints (18-0-2, 6-0-2 MCC) moved up from 24th to No. 22 as the final NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll was released yesterday.

AU is one of only six unbeaten programs left in the national field, regardless of record.

"We're excited to have kept moving up in the national polls and we remain focused on tomorrow's game against Viterbo (University)," MCC Coach of the Year Richard Markham said.

The Saints collected 184 votes to leapfrog Belhaven College (Mass.) which stayed idle in the No. 23 ranking. Last week's No. 22, Hastings College (Neb.), moved up to 21st with a win.