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| Taya Jeffrey's solid performance yesterday against St. Scholastica helps get Concordia atop today's MIAC Power Rankings |
So it's a new year and the time when MIAC Women's Basketball gets into the meat-grinder of the regular season and with it, the unveiling of my first MIAC Power Rankings of the 2025-26 season. So let's get to it.
1. Concordia
2. SMU
3. Bethel
4. GAC
5. (tie) CSB and St. Scholastica
6. Hamline
7. Carleton
8. Augsburg
9. St. Kate's
10. St. Olaf
11. Macalester
The Cobbers have finally snared the top of the mountain - at least for this week anyway - in my initial power rankings for this season but they've got the resume to back it up. After doing a Texas two-step in taking down two teams from the ASC - Howard Payne and powerhouse Hardin-Simmons in Abilene, TX just before the first of the year - Concordia consolidated on its latest gains by smacking St. Scholastica yesterday at home in cavernous Memorial Auditorium. But things get much trickier this coming week for the Cobbers as they must first travel down to Northfield on Wednesday night to take on Carleton and then make another long journey down to Winona to face off against SMU in a huge showdown this coming Saturday.........One may wonder why I didn't have the Cardinals tied atop my Power Rankings with Concordia and it essentially came down to the fact that Concordia simply has more wins against quality opponents. However, that should not deter the rapid ascension of this SMU team as they walloped Macalester in St Paul yesterday and looked pretty impressive doing it. But now the Cardinals arguably stroll into the most challenging week of this season with not one but TWO opportunities to build on their NPI ranking. First on tap is a return trip back up US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline to the Cities on Wednesday night to take on Bethel and then an equally huge game on Saturday - this one at home against aforementioned Concordia team. I realize it's only early January but this may be the best - and perhaps the only chance - the Cardinals may have to make a case for something beyond the regular season and MIAC Playoffs.
Prior to this weekend, I thought for sure that I'd have Bethel in my top spot but few (including yours truly) could have predicted that the Royals would run into a hornets nest down in St. Peter yesterday but that's precisely what happened as GAC raced out to an eighteen-point lead and never looked back as Bethel went down in the shocker of the day. Now, I think it's way too early for any of the Bethel faithful to break out the proverbial panic button just yet but admittedly there is cause for concern here - especially when you consider that the Royals have to regroup quickly as a high-flying SMU team comes to town on Wednesday night before a trip down to Carleton this next Saturday........And speaking of the Gusties, they were in desperate need of a big win of any kind and they finally got it yesterday and looked pretty impressive in doing it. This young GAC team may finally be coming together at the right time and this coming week provides the Gusties an excellent opportunity to consolidate on their latest gains as they host St. Olaf on Wednesday night before coming to the Cities on Saturday to take on St. Kate's.
The Bennies started 2026 on a positive note yesterday by holding off a stubborn Augsburg team in Minneapolis and if you look at the schedule, it appears that - on paper anyway - CSB has an excellent chance to solidify its footing and this coming week the Bennies will come back down to the Cities to take on Macalester on Wednesday night before hosting Hamline on Saturday........St. Scholastica took it on the chin yesterday in Moorhead against the Cobbers but, unlike CSB, the Saints immediate outlook appears to be hazy at best as they come down to the Cities on Wednesday evening to face Hamline before going down to the west side of Northfield this next Saturday to take on St. Olaf........Hamline meanwhile is riding a four-game win streak; the latest victim being St. Kate's yesterday at Butler Center but this coming week could be a challenging one for the Pipers as they host aforementioned St. Scholastica team on Wednesday night before running up to St. Joe to face CSB this coming Saturday.
So that's how things look on this last Sunday of the NFL regular season. As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts.
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