The final Women DII College Fall Top 20 of 2015 comes with the conclusion of the fall championship, which Davenport claimed on Dec. 6. It is the first fall title for the Panthers, and the team will spend the upcoming spring season building toward the national championship on May 6.

The four teams that advanced to the fall championship entered the competition with ranks 1-5, but some reorganization was needed. Finalists Davenport and Winona retained their top-two rankings, but Bloomsburg and Vassar swapped to reflect the 43-32 third-place result. Bowdoin also dropped from #4 to #5 after losing 15-10 to the Brewers during the quarterfinals.

The biggest adjustment to the top 10 was Rutgers. We had given the New Jersey side the benefit of the doubt during the playoffs, attributing the lopsided Tri-State championship score to the lineup experimentation. But after its 80-5 Round of 16 loss to Bloomsburg, and the forfeit of its consolation match against St. Michael’s, Rutgers was relegated.

That 75-point loss, however, was not an uncommon point differential through the quarterfinal round. Davenport, Winona, and Bloomsburg ruled their respective regions, so while surrendering 80 points might typically remove a team from the Top 20 altogether, the point differentials are more reflective of how good the top five are.

It also explains how teams could lose in the playoffs but also be promoted. Ithaca College, for example, lost 74-17 to Bloomsburg in the quarterfinals, but played in a terrific Round of 16 game against St. Michael’s. The Renegades prevailed in overtime, but had the weighty task of taking down a fresh Bloomsburg the following day. The Purple Knights, equally as tenderized, booted up for their consolation game against Rutgers, who forfeited.

Teams 15-20 held their rankings. While there could have been shuffling, there wasn’t enough evidence – or crossover games – to warrant a one-spot move.

Capital Conference finalists Salisbury and Mary Washington have been idle since the last ranking, and their one-spot drop just reflects the continual play of the fall teams. They’ll stay on the spring rankings and certainly move up. Davenport will also stay on the list as it builds toward the DII national championship against the spring champion, who will be determined in late April.