LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama men's soccer team has been announced as the 21^st team in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Continental Tire National poll on Tuesday after a 3-1 start to the 2014 season.

It is the highest rank for the UWA program that opened its fourth season on September 4. The Tigers made their debut into the rankings as No. 25 a season ago.

The NSCAA is not the only attention UWA has garnered, being named No. 17 in the D2 Men's Soccer Bennett Rankings early in the day. The Tigers, who currently sit tied for second in the Gulf South Conference, were the only GSC team to make it into this week's NSCAA Poll and reside four spots above league foe West Florida in the Bennett Ranking.

West Alabama (3-1; 0-0 in the GSC) jumped to a 3-0 start for the first time in program history with back-to-back shutouts over defending Peach Belt Conference champions Montevallo and Florida Tech of the Sunshine State Conference. The Tiger defense posted 304 minutes of not allowing a goal until a 3-2 overtime loss to No. 10 Young Harris.  
 
UWA's success offensively has come from a shared effort with eight different Tigers finding the net. Senior captian Thibault Charmey leads the attack with six goals through four matches, ranking him third in the nation in scoring. Evan Beutler leads the team with three assists. In the goal, junior Lavares Stone (3-0) has totaled 14 saves and two shutouts.  
 
The Tigers now prepare to face their second ranked opponent in No.9 Saint Leo Friday at 7:30 p.m. The match is the second in a three game road stretch that will end with Tampa on Sunday at 12 p.m.

The complete NSCAA rankings can be found at: http://www.nscaatv.com/rankings/3295/NCAADivisionII/men/National/Poll2  

The complete Bennett rankings can be found at: http://www.bennettrank.com/collegesoccer/d2-mens-soccer-rankings-week-ending-914/