Clayton State men ranked 15th in this week’s NSCAA/Adidas Division II Top 25 poll
Lakers ranked second in Southeast Region heading into Thursday’s showdown at 19th-ranked Lees-McRae

MORROW, Ga. – September 4, 2007 – After starting season from the outside looking in, the Clayton State Laker men’s soccer vaulted into the NSCAA/Adidas Division II Top 25 national poll that was released on Tuesday. The Lakers are ranked 15th in the nation after an impressive 2-0 start to the 2007 season.

It marks the first time that Clayton State has been ranked in the national Division II Top 25 since the 2005 season. The Lakers were ranked eighth in last season’s preseason Division II Top 25. Clayton State opened the season with two straight shutouts in the Laker Shootout over the weekend – a 5-0 victory over Belmont Abbey and a 3-0 victory over Anderson.

Clayton State supplemented Lander as the lone Peach Belt Conference appearing in this week’s Division II poll. The Bearcats, who shared last season’s Peach Belt championship with Clayton State, were ranked 23rd in last week’s Division II Top 25, but an early-season tie against Queens dropped Lander out of the poll.

In addition to the national poll, Clayton State is also ranked second in the Division II Southeast Region Top 10 poll. The Lakers trail seventh-ranked Limestone (2-0) in the region rankings. Lander (1-0-1) is fourth, representing the Peach Belt in the poll.

Clayton State returns to action on Thursday with a 7:30 p.m. showdown at 19th-ranked Lees-McRae.