Blue Devils Storm Into Top Five As Cavaliers Collapse
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Blue Devils Storm Into Top Five As Cavaliers Collapse

Duke's nine-spot surge and Virginia's seven-spot slide reshape the national picture while Princeton holds firm at No. 1.

D1Ball StaffTuesday, July 21, 2026

Princeton stays planted at No. 1 with a 17-2 record, but the real drama is everywhere else. The Blue Devils rocketed from No. 13 to No. 4 — the poll's biggest jump — turning an 11-5 campaign into a top-five resume overnight. Duke's climb reshuffled the entire middle of the bracket, shoving the Big Red from No. 5 down to No. 10 and the Cavaliers from No. 4 all the way to No. 11, the hardest fall in the rankings.

The Orange matched Duke's energy, surging from No. 7 to No. 3 behind a 13-6 mark, while Notre Dame slipped up one spot to No. 2. The Spiders, meanwhile, tumbled from No. 2 to No. 7 — a five-spot drop that opens the door for a new challenger to emerge behind Princeton.

Down at No. 20, the Red Foxes crashed the party from outside the poll, giving Marist a seat at the table and proof that this race is far from settled.

Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.

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