WACO, TEX.– North Central is the preseason favorite to win their fourth national title, according to the coaches in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. The Cardinals received all 51 first-place votes, and will begin defense of their national title during the second week of the season against UW-Oshkosh on September 13. Mount Union, last year’s national runner-up, is the preseason No. 2 pick. The Purple Raiders will open the 2025 season hosting No. 17-ranked Wheaton on September 6.
That top 25 matchup is one of three during the opening weekend of the season. The other two have No. 11 Cortland, the 2023 national champions, hosting No. 23 Grove City while No. 14 UW-Platteville travels to No. 24 Aurora.
A semifinalist from a year ago, Johns Hopkins is ranked No. 3 to start the season. The Blue Jays finished with a 12-2 record last year and will start 2025 on the road against Ithaca. St. John’s (Minn.) will start the season at No. 4. The Johnnies made it to the third round of the NCAA playoffs last year, falling to eventual semifinalist and preseason No. 5 Susquehanna. The River Hawks will try to better their 12-2 mark from a year ago when they start against Union (N.Y.) on September 6.
2025 AFCA Division III Coaches’ Poll – August 18, 2025
| Rank | School (1st votes) | 2024 Rec. | Pts. | 2024 Rank* | Season Opener | Head Coach |
| 1 | North Central (51) | 15-0 | 1275 | 1 | Sept. 13 vs. UW-Oshkosh | Brad Spencer |
| 2 | Mount Union | 14-1 | 1218 | 2 | Sept. 6 vs. No. 17 Wheaton | Geoff Dartt |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins | 12-2 | 1097 | 3 | Sept. 6 at Ithaca | Dan Wodicka |
| 4 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 11-1 | 1058 | 7 | Sept. 13 vs. Minnesota-Morris | Gary Fasching |
| 5 | Susquehanna | 12-2 | 1016 | 4 | Sept. 6 vs. Union (N.Y.) | Tom Perkovich |
| 6 | Hardin-Simmons | 10-1 | 975 | 15 | Sept. 6 at Chapman | Jesse Burleson |
| 7 | Salisbury | 12-1 | 870 | 5 | Sept. 6 at Washington and Lee | Sherman Wood |
| 8 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 8-4 | 861 | 11 | Sept. 6 vs. Bethel (Tenn.) | Larry Harmon |
| 9 | Wartburg | 10-2 | 811 | 12 | Sept. 6 vs. Monmouth (Ill.) | Chris Winter |
| 10 | UW-La Crosse | 8-4 | 763 | 21 | Sept. 13 at No. 18 Carnegie Mellon | Matt Janus |
| 11 | Cortland | 11-1 | 742 | 8 | Sept. 6 vs. No. 23 Grove City | Tom Blumenauer |
| 12 | Bethel (Minn.) | 11-3 | 706 | 10 | Sept. 13 vs. Northwestern (Minn.) | Mike McElroy |
| 13 | Springfield | 12-1 | 627 | 6 | Sept. 6 at Western New England | Mike Cerasuolo |
| 14 | UW-Platteville | 9-2 | 609 | 17 | Sept. 6 at No. 24 Aurora | Ryan Munz |
| 15 | Linfield | 10-2 | 516 | 16 | Sept. 6 vs. UW-Oshkosh | Joseph Smith |
| 16 | DePauw | 11-1 | 490 | 9 | Sept. 6 at Rose-Hulman | Brett Dietz |
| 17 | Wheaton | 9-2 | 423 | NR | Sept. 6 at No. 2 Mount Union | Jesse Scott |
| 18 | Carnegie Mellon | 10-2 | 382 | 14 | Sept. 6 at Chicago | Ryan Larsen |
| 19 | UW-River Falls | 7-3 | 354 | NR | Sept. 6 vs. Alma | Matt Walker |
| 20 | Hope | 11-1 | 332 | 13 | Sept. 6 at Loras | Peter Stuursma |
| 21 | Randolph-Macon | 10-2 | 254 | 18 | Sept. 5 vs. Dickinson | Pedro Arruza |
| 22 | UW-Whitewater | 6-4 | 238 | NR | Sept. 6 vs. Carleton | Jace Rindahl |
| 23 | Grove City | 9-2 | 229 | 20 | Sept. 6 at No. 11 Cortland | Andrew DiDonato |
| 24 | Aurora | 9-2 | 194 | 22 | Sept. 6 vs. No. 14 UW-Platteville | Don Beebe |
| 25 | John Carroll | 9-3 | 128 | NR | Sept. 6 at Waynesburg | Jeff Behrman |
*– Record and Ranking in final AFCA Division III Poll of 2024
Others Receiving Votes: Washington & Jefferson, 71; UW-Oshkosh, 70; Endicott, 46; Whitworth, 38; Alma, 35; Trinity (Tex.), 27; Hobart, 19; Ithaca, 18; Delaware Valley, 17; Coe, 15; UW-Stout, 13; Berry, 12; Brockport, 8; Lake Forest, 5; Chapman, 3; Mount St. Joseph, 2; UMass-Dartmouth, 2; Baldwin-Wallace, 1; Central (Iowa), 1; Rowan, 1; Washington (Mo.), 1; Wesleyan, 1; Westminster (Pa.), 1.
For more information on the AFCA and its programs, visit www.afca.com or follow us on social media @WeAreAFCA.
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