PUEBLO, Colo. (Oct. 12, 2026) – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's soccer team continues to establish itself among the nation's elite, as the ThunderWolves debuted at No. 3 in the first NCAA Division II Power Index (NPI) rankings released Monday afternoon.
The ThunderWolves, who are ranked No. 7 nationally in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll, enter the week with an unbeaten 10-0-2 overall record following a pair of impressive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) victories over Adams State and No. 14 Fort Lewis this past weekend.
Under the direction of first-year head coach Thomás Pazo Tourinho, CSU Pueblo has put together one of the strongest starts in program history and currently sits atop the RMAC standings following Sunday's 2-0 shutout victory over Fort Lewis at Art and Lorraine Gonzales Stadium.
The Pack earned an NPI rating of 60.956 in the initial rankings, placing third in Super Region 4.
The NCAA Power Index is a new ranking system adopted by Division II for the 2026-27 academic year to evaluate teams for NCAA Championship selection. The NPI replaces the previous regional advisory committee ranking process and provides a data-driven method of comparing programs across the country.
Unlike traditional national polls, which are determined by votes from coaches, the NPI utilizes a mathematical formula that considers a team's winning percentage, strength of schedule, quality victories and results against opponents. The system also accounts for home and away results, with an emphasis on rewarding teams that compete against strong competition.
For Division II men's soccer, strength of schedule carries a 75 percent weighting compared to 25 percent for winning percentage, highlighting the importance of competing against quality opponents throughout the season.
The NPI rankings will play an important role in determining the field for the 2026 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship. Following the selection of automatic qualifiers from each conference, the rankings will help determine which teams receive at-large bids to the national tournament.
The initial rankings were released Monday, Oct. 12, with another weekly release scheduled for Oct. 19. Beginning the week of Oct. 26, the NCAA will update the rankings daily, Monday through Friday, as teams continue competing toward postseason play.
CSU Pueblo's impressive position in the initial rankings comes on the heels of another dominant weekend at home. The ThunderWolves opened the weekend with an 8-0 victory over Adams State on Thursday before closing their homestand with a 2-0 shutout of nationally ranked Fort Lewis on Sunday.
The Pack has also recorded victories over St. Mary's (Texas), Hawai'i Hilo, Colorado Christian and Westminster this season, while battling Colorado Mesa and nationally ranked Regis to draws.
Up Next: CSU Pueblo returns to the road for a pair of RMAC contests in the Denver metropolitan area. The ThunderWolves will face MSU Denver on Friday, Oct. 16, before concluding the weekend against Colorado Christian on Sunday, Oct. 18.
