(HCC Sports Information)

The Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team made its first appearance in the NJCAA Division I National Rankings on Wednesday.

The 11-2 Lady Dragons are tied for eighth with 12-0 Parkland College in the poll releases on Wednesday by the NJCAA national office.

Hutchinson finally made the jump into the rankings after a thrilling, albeit soggy, 2-1 come from behind victory over then-No. 5 Butler on Sunday at the USD 308 Athletic Complex.

The Lady Dragons started the 2011 season unranked despite having one All-American and six other all-conference players return from a Jayhawk Conference and Region VI championship season that finished 21-1 and one victory short of the NJCAA national tournament. The 2010 Lady Dragons finished No. 3 in the NCAA poll.

Not showing up in the preseason poll ended a 14-week streak of poll appearances for the Lady Dragons. This is the fifth poll of the 2011 regular season.

Butler dropped six spots to 11th in this week’s poll. Johnson County, the other Jayhawk Conference team represented in the poll, fell out completely.

Tyler Junior College (14-0) is No. 1 in the latest national poll. Scottsdale Community College (13-0) is No. 2, followed by Paradise Valley (12-1) is No. 3 and Georgia Perimeter College (8-0-1) is No. 4.