Lower Columbia Leads Western Region’s Alumni Placement Score, Tacoma Sets the Efficiency Standard

Lower Columbia leads NWAC Western Region with a 126.0 Raw Alumni Placement Score (APS) — a weighted measure of where its 29 alumni are playing, not just how many — the highest Raw APS of any of the region’s 5 reporting colleges.

Across all 5 Western Region colleges, 104 alumni are currently active on four-year rosters — spanning NCAA Division I, II, and III, NAIA, NCCAA, and USCAA programs. These counts are an annual snapshot, updated as alumni move levels year to year (JUCO to D2, then D2 to D1, for example) — not a full transfer history.

What Is Alumni Placement Score?

Alumni Placement Score (APS) weights each alumnus by the level they’re playing at: NCAA Division I counts for 5.0 points, NCAA Division II for 4.3, NAIA for 4.0, NCAA Division III for 3.7, NCCAA for 2.5, and USCAA for 2.0. A program’s Raw APS is the sum of those weighted points across all of its alumni. Two programs with the same number of alumni can post very different Raw APS totals if one is sending players to NCAA Division I rosters and the other to NCCAA rosters — a distinction a simple headcount can’t capture.

Tacoma Sets the Efficiency Standard

Efficiency APS — Raw APS divided by total alumni — measures placement quality per alumnus, independent of program size. Tacoma leads Western Region in Efficiency APS at 4.68, despite ranking 2nd in Raw APS with 25 alumni. Efficiency APS doesn’t factor into the ranking order below, but it’s worth watching as a signal of which programs are placing alumni at the highest levels relative to their size.

Full NWAC Western Region Alumni Rankings (2026)

Lower Columbia also posted the region’s best win percentage at .804 (45-11-0) in 2026, on top of its region-leading Raw APS (126.0). Tacoma ranks second at 116.9.

NWAC Western Region on the NWAC-Wide Boards

2 Western Region colleges crack the NWAC-wide Top 5: Lower Columbia (3rd), Tacoma (5th). See the NWAC Region Rankings for how Western compares to the other three regions.

How These Rankings Are Calculated

Rankings are based on Alumni Placement Score (APS), which weights each alumnus by the level they’re playing at rather than counting every roster spot the same. Total alumni is highlighted alongside Raw APS in the table. When two or more colleges tie on Raw APS, the higher total alumni count breaks the tie; win percentage is the second-level tiebreaker if total alumni is also equal. See the 2026 APS methodology for the formula, weights, and FAQ.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many alumni does NWAC Western Region have on four-year rosters in 2026?

NWAC Western Region has 104 alumni currently active on four-year rosters across its 5 reporting colleges, spanning NCAA Division I, II, and III, NAIA, NCCAA, and USCAA programs.

Which NWAC Western Region college has the highest Alumni Placement Score?

Lower Columbia leads NWAC Western Region with a Raw APS of 126.0, built on 29 alumni currently active on four-year rosters. Tacoma (116.9) and Centralia (111.6) rank second and third.

What is Efficiency APS and why does it matter?

Efficiency APS divides a program’s Raw APS by its total alumni count, showing placement quality per alumnus rather than total volume. Tacoma leads Western Region in Efficiency APS at 4.68, despite ranking 2nd in Raw APS — a sign that a smaller alumni base can still reflect strong placement outcomes.

Which Western Region program has the best win percentage?

Lower Columbia posted the best win percentage in Western Region at .804 (45-11-0) in 2026, the highest mark among all 5 reporting colleges.

How do NWAC Western Region alumni compare to the rest of NWAC?

NWAC Western Region’s 104 alumni account for about 19.5% of the 533 total alumni tracked across all four NWAC regions in 2026. See the full NWAC Region Rankings for the complete picture.

Explore more NWAC rankings: Region Rankings · Top 5

Insights reflect data available at time of publication and are subject to change.