Virginia Peninsula Community College men’s basketball team was among five teams in the “receiving votes” category in the NJCAA Division III poll released Monday, Nov. 24. With 15 teams officially ranked, that means the Gators are among the top 20 teams in the nation.
It is the second time in program history the Gators have been in that category, with the first coming last season.
“It’s an honor to be in the same boat two years in a row, receiving votes,” said Chris Moore, the College’s Athletics director and men’s basketball coach. “But the work continues because the votes don’t matter if we don’t take care of business the rest of the way. The fact we are receiving votes in November is a good sign because we have been putting in a lot of work.”
The Gators are coming off a three-game trip to Massachusetts, where they went 2-1, including a 97-86 victory Saturday over Bunker Hill Community College, which was ranked eighth at the time. The Bulldogs (8-1) dropped to No. 11 in the latest poll. The Gators almost had two wins over ranked opponents on their trip. One day before beating Bunker Hill, the Gators lost to No. 9 Northern Essex Community College 77-74. The Gators led by 14 at halftime but couldn’t hang on for the upset. Northern Essex (7-2) moved up one spot in Monday’s poll. Sandhills (N.C.) Community College (6-2), a Region 10 rival of the Gators, is ranked ninth.
The highest-ranked team the Gators have beaten in program history came Jan. 13, 2025, with a 102-96 win over No. 3 Sandhills. They received votes in the following week’s poll but then dropped out after a loss to Patrick & Henry Community College.
The Gators’ next game is Tuesday, Nov. 25 at home against Bryant and Stratton College at SafeHaven Empowerment Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
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