LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall College was recently recognized by several major national outlets as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country with several national rankings:
- #11 Best Liberal Arts College for Research (Wall Street Journal)
- #16 Top Liberal Arts Colleges in United States (Wall Street Journal)
- #24 Most Accessible Professors (Princeton Review)
- #33 Best Undergraduate Teaching (U.S. News & World Report)
- Best Value College (Princeton Review)
Matching the prestige of the College's academic success are several fall teams who find themselves among the top ranked teams in their respective sports by the NCAA Power Index (NPI) and coaching association polls. Now in its second year, NPI is an objective metric used by Division III to select and seed teams for the national tournament.
Football (Schedule)
Record: 6-1, 4-0 Centennial
NCAA NPI: 23rd
D3football.com National Poll: Receiving Votes
The Diplomats are one of just two undefeated teams in Centennial Conference play alongside Johns Hopkins where a week 11 showdown with the Blue Jays looms. Despite the national attention, a one week at time approach has served the Diplomats well as they have hit their stride during the Centennial Conference portion of the season. F&M has already beaten Gettysburg, then-No. 25 Muhlenberg, Dickinson, and Ursinus in conference action. F&M has beaten each of those four teams in the same season just six times in program history (1935, 1976, 1981, 1987, 2017, 2025).
It has been a series of heart-racing wins for the Diplomats before they most recently scored 52 points for their most ever at Ursinus in a series that dates back to 1894. The conference season started with Matt Eitner catching a go-ahead touchdown with 7:07 remaining at Gettysburg, successfully defending Muhlenberg's attempt at a game-winning two point conversion, and Michael Fleming kicking the game-winning field goal at Dickinson on the final play from scrimmage.
Field Hockey (Schedule)
Record: 13-3, 6-2 Centennial
NPI: 17th
NFHCA National Coaches Poll: 15th
Franklin & Marshall gained the inside track to clinching a first-round bye in the upcoming Centennial Conference Tournament with 4-0 victory versus then-No. 13 Dickinson on Senior Day. The Diplomats have now won four straight heading into the final weekend of the regular season while each of their setbacks have come by just a single goal. The Diplomats have put themselves in a position where they control their own destiny as they look to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since a historic run to the national championship during the 2019 season. Nevertheless, a pair of key road matchups against Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore during the final week of the regular season will certainly test the team before postseason play gets underway with the conference tournament next week.
Women's Soccer (Schedule)
Record: 9-3-4, 4-2-2 Centennial
NPI: 44th
United Soccer Coaches Ranking: 7th in Region V
The Diplomats have their sights set on a return to the Centennial Conference Tournament next week, which would be the program's fifth consecutive postseason appearance which has not been accomplished since the team made five appearances in the Middle Atlantic Conference Tournament during the 1986-90 seasons. The Diplomats have recently made their first-ever trips to the NCAA Tournament (2021, 23) and Centennial Conference Championship match (2021, 2023, 2024). Sitting on the NCAA bubble, the Diplomats wrap up the regular season schedule with away matches at Ursinus and Bryn Mawr this week. The Diplomats have certainly proven they can compete with the nation's best as each of their four defeats have come by just a single goal as they appear to be strong contender to vie for the Centennial Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Volleyball (Schedule)
Record: 17-4, 5-1 Centennial
NPI: 37th
Currently on track to make the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since head coach Mary Kate Salko '01 was a senior on the team, the Diplomats have won six of their last seven matches after starting the season on a seven-match winning streak. The Diplomats have been receiving votes in the national polls for a majority of the regular season and recently took a huge step towards a bye in the first round of the Centennial Conference Tournament with a thrilling 3-2 win at home against Gettysburg. The team wraps up its regular season home slate this week against Ursinus and Dickinson by hosting a Pink Out and Senior Day. The automatic bid for the Centennial Conference will be on the line when the postseason begins on Wednesday, November 12 and continues through Sunday, November 16.
