KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Fort Lewis College women's soccer team (16-1-1 overall, 12-1-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) is ranked No. 3 in the latest NSCAA/HendrickCars.com national rankings — the highest-ever national ranking in the program's history.

“This has been a journey to put together a program that could prove itself over an entire season,” fourth-year head coach Damian Clarke said when asked of the significance of the No. 3 ranking. “A body of work is what makes programs.”

The Skyhawks clinched the 2010 RMAC women's soccer regular season championship with a 1-0 overtime win against Regis last Sunday at Dirks Field.

The Skyhawks trail No. 1 Saint Rose (N.Y.) (18-0-0) and No. 2 Central Missouri (16-0-0) in the national polls.

One other RMAC women's soccer team — No. 23 Regis (13-5-1, 10-3-1) — is listed in the NSCAA national poll, while Metro State (12-4-2, 8-4-2) fell out of the national rankings but did receive votes.

Five RMAC women's teams are ranked in the latest NSCAA/HendrickCars.com Central Region poll. Fort Lewis is first, followed by Regis (third), Metro (fourth), New Mexico Highlands (fifth, 11-5-2, 9-3-2) and Colorado Mines (sixth, 10-5-3, 9-4-1). Winona State (Minn.) (14-3-1) is ranked No. 16 in the nation and No. 2 in the region. The top six teams in the region qualify for the NCAA Division II women's soccer championships.

The Fort Lewis College men's team (11-5-2, 10-2-2) climbed back into the national rankings at No. 23.

“It's one of those seasons where it seems to be lifeline after lifeline,” said second-year FLC men's soccer coach Oige Kennedy. “If we continue to win, hopefully that regional ranking improves and we can get ourselves into the first round of nationals.”

Fort Lewis is one of three RMAC men's soccer teams to be ranked nationally: Colorado Mines (15-1-1, 12-1-1), which won the 2010 RMAC regular season title, moved up one spot to No. 3, while Regis (13-2-3, 9-2-3) fell five spots to No. 14. Metro State (11-5-2, 8-4-2) dropped out of the NSCAA/HendrickCars.com national ranks but did receive votes.

In the NCAA Central Region rankings — which are ultimately used to determine the two teams who will qualify for the NCAA playoffs — the Skyhawk men are currently ranked third, behind Mines and Regis and ahead of Metro.

The separate NSCAA/HendrickCars.com Central Region rankings mirror the NCAA regional rankings: Mines, Regis, Fort Lewis, Metro and Mesa State (10-6-2, 6-6-2).

The top two teams in the Central Region qualify for the NCAA Division II men's soccer championships. Fort Lewis won the 2009 and 2005 national championships and finished second in the nation in 2006 and 1999.