The UNC Wilmington men’s soccer team used a 2-1 victory over Delaware to break into the national rankings for the first time since 2005. This week’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America rankings placed the Seahawks 23rd following a week in which they remained unbeaten in Colonial Athletic Association play.

The Seahawks currently sit second in the CAA rankings, just one point behind league-leaders Northeastern. With a record of 9-2-3 (5-0-2 conference), the Seahawks spent last week in the receiving votes column before slipping into the back end of the top 25.

Prior to downing Delaware, the Seahawks battled to a 1-1 home draw with William & Mary, who also received votes in the poll this week.

Just two years removed from a disappointing 4-13-1 season, Seahawks’ head coach Aidan Heaney has masterminded a turnaround, which has seen his team capture a CAA regular season title and return to the upper echelon of collegiate soccer.

The Seahawks’ new national ranking is a testament to how much the squad from 2007, which included 16 freshmen, has matured and grown together in a short two-year period. Heaney’s team surprisingly went from bottom to top last season, winning the conference’s regular season before being dumped out of the semifinals by Northeastern in penalty kicks.

While the high ranking is well deserved, the Seahawks still have much work to do in the closing weeks of the season. They will have to endure tricky trips to fourth and seventh-placed Hofstra and James Madison as well as a crucial home fixture against last season’s tournament winner and preseason favorite George Mason.

With the CAA tournament accepting only the top four teams, any slip-up now could erase the Seahawks’ postseason aspirations; however, with their current position in the national spotlight comes the added chance of an at-large berth for the NCAA tournament.

The CAA tournament will be held Nov. 13-15 at the campus of the regular season champion. The Seahawks will look to bring the event back to the Port City for the second consecutive year as they topped the CAA in 2008.