As the 2011 men's soccer season starts its final stretch, the NCAA has released its regional rankings for Division II – rankings that will determine who goes on to the post-season tournament and who sees their season end.

For University of the Incarnate Word, the South Central Region rankings debuted with UIW alone atop the ranking at No. 1 with a 10-1-1 overall record so far this season.

“This is great, but all it means is that we have to be focused from here on out,” head coach Vincent Martinez said. “It might sound cliché, but we have to take this one game at a time. We can't slip up and lose where we are in the ranking because we weren't ready to play.”

The Cardinals will be put to the test immediately, heading out on the road for a match against the No. 2 team in the region, Midwestern State University.

MSU and Incarnate Word met earlier in the season and UIW got a 1-0 victory over the Mustangs at Gayle & Tom Benson Stadium. At the time, Midwestern State had been ranked No. 3 in the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) national poll, which is the only poll that runs from the start of the season to the end.

The loss dropped MSU to the middle of the NSCAA poll and catapulted UIW up. However, as Incarnate Word kept winning (they haven't lost since the season-opening 2-1 loss to Colorado School of Mines… an 11-game unbeaten streak), they continued to climb up the NSCAA poll and currently sit as the No. 4 team in the country.

But, the NCAA poll is the one that truly matters, and with UIW now officially the team to beat in the region, the Cardinals will play four games in nine days – three of which on the road against Lone Star Conference teams – which ups the need to be playing their best.

“We've got a tough stretch ahead of us, so we have to be sure to be ready to play every night,” Martinez said.

Friday's matchup in Wichita Falls is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start. Midwestern State will have live stats and radio available for Cardinal fans wanting to keep tabs on the action.

NCAA SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL RANKINGS

Team                                        In-Region       Overall

1 Incarnate Word                        10-1-1               10-1-1

2 Midwestern State                      8-3-0                 8-3-0

3 Northeastern State                    8-2-2                 8-2-2

4 TX A&M International                 6-2-2                 6-2-2

5 Fort Hays State                        4-2-0                  5-2-0

6 Eastern New Mexico                 5-3-2                  5-3-2