NEWBERRY — Newberry College, announced as the No. 23 team in Division II by the American Football Coaches Association earlier Monday, is ranked No. 5 in Super Region 2 in the first Division II regional rankings of the 2016 season.

The top seven teams in each of the four super regions are selected to the NCAA Division II playoffs at season’s end, with the top-ranked team in each super region receiving a bye into the second round.

Super Region 2 is comprised of teams from the South Atlantic Conference, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Gulf South Conference, and three Division II independents in the Carolinas.

North Alabama is currently ranked first in the region, followed by Valdosta State, Tuskegee, and UNC Pembroke. The Wolves sit one slot above Wingate, while West Alabama is in the all-important seventh position.

West Georgia, Florida Tech, and North Greenville round out the rankings in Super Region 2. If the rankings were to remain unchanged, Newberry would travel to face UNC Pembroke in the opening round of the playoffs.

Three of Newberry’s 2016 opponents appear in this week’s rankings. The Wolves fell 42-28 in the season opener to No. 9 Florida Tech and defeated No. 10 North Greenville 29-28 in Tigerville on a Raleigh Yeldell touchdown run with just over a minute to play.

Newberry hosts Wingate, ranked 24th in the nation and sixth in the region, in a regular season finale on Nov. 12 that could decide the South Atlantic Conference championship.

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This release was provided by Newberry College.