For the second year in a row, Central College has cracked the NCAA Division III men’s basketball regional rankings.

It’s the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Committee’s initial ranking of the season and the rated teams are listed alphabetically in each region. There will be an actual ranking released February 13th.

The Dutch (16-6) are among seven teams listed in Region IX. Overall records and records against NCAA Division III opponents are included. Under coach Joe Steinkamp, Central is a half game out of first place in the American Rivers Conference race at 10-3 and is among five conference schools in the ratings.

The winner of the American Rivers Conference tournament, which begins February 20th, receives one of 44 automatic berths in the 64-team NCAA Division III tournament field, with 20 at-large teams also selected. The field will be announced February 26th at noon on NCAA.com and the tourney begins March 1st-2nd.

Central has made 11 NCAA tournament appearances, most recently in 2016. The Dutch have a pivotal conference game Saturday at 4 pm in the back half of a women’s-men’s doubleheader at the University of Dubuque.