MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Not unanimity. But awfully close.

That’s the position — top ranked, with 19 of 20 first place votes — the Oswego Lakers find themselves after the first USCHO.com Division III poll of 2010. It is their fourth consecutive week atop the rankings.

The second and third ranked teams in the country — Oswego’s SUNYAC rival Plattsburgh and Norwich, one of only two undefeated teams remaining — are the same. The Cadets siphoned off the only stray first place vote.

Due to the previously unbeaten Bulldogs getting swept at Hamline, Adrian fell five spots to ninth while its slayer, now 8-1-2 on the season, ascended three spots to seventh.

In positions four through six, St. Norbert (previously fifth), St. Scholastic (seventh) and Elmira (sixth) either gained or held ground after Adrian’s two losses.

After shutting out Babson and besting Southern Maine, 5-2, Middlebury remained eighth nationally.

Along with Norwich, Williams College is the only other undefeated team in Division III. Their 6-0-1 mark moved them up a slot to No. 10, directly behind previously unbeaten Adrian.

Gustavus Adolphus’ sweep of Marian (4-3, 5-3) earned them the No. 11 ranking while Curry fell three spots after getting blanked by new-No. 3 Norwich and dropping a 3-2 decision to New England College.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls ascended a rung to No. 13, while previously unranked Amherst and Wentworth (down two spots) round out the top 15 teams in the country.

Idle UW-Superior dropped out of the national rankings.

USCHO.com Division III Men's Poll

January 4, 2010

 Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll

1 Oswego (19)   15-1-0 299 1
2 Plattsburgh   9-1-2 265 2
3 Norwich ( 1)   8-0-2 259 3
4 St. Norbert   10-2-1 238 5
5 St. Scholastica   8-2-2 193 7
6 Elmira    10-3-0 192 6
7 Hamline    8-1-2 190 10
8 Middlebury   5-1-2 165 8
9 Adrian    10-2-0 127 4
10 Williams   6-0-1 125 11
11 Gustavus Adolphus  9-3-1 111 12
12 Curry    7-2-1 48 9
13 Wis.-River Falls  7-5-1 40 14
14 Amherst    7-2-0 37 NR
15 Wentworth   8-1-1 27 13

Others Receiving Votes: Wis.-Superior 24, Salem State 17, Colby 16, Manhattanville 10, New England College 8, Wis.-Stout 5, Bowdoin 2, Fredonia 1, Wis.-Stevens Point 1