For the third consecutive year, the Binghamton University men’s swimming and diving team has found itself among the nation’s top-25 Mid-Major Division I programs, according to this season’s first www.collegeswimming.com poll. The Bearcats landed at No. 21 on the poll after being slated at No. 25 in 2010 and No. 24 in 2011.

Open to schools not belonging to a BCS conference, the Mountain West Conference or schools that provide less than one-half of the allowable scholarships under the NCAA rules, the poll is based upon a system that takes a school’s submission of its best lineup and converts times into points. Princeton University earned the poll’s top spot with 227.88 points, while Binghamton garnered a total of 202.72 points.

Binghamton (0-3) is winless thus far after facing a slew of elite competition to open its season. Reigning America East champion Boston University and six-time defending Atlantic 10 champion University of Massachusetts Amherst, ranked No. 10 in the poll, appeared as the Bearcats’ first two dual opponents. Two weekends ago, Binghamton finished fifth out of seven at the Bucknell Invitational.

Binghamton is scheduled to return to Kinney Natatorium for a dual against Bucknell University at 1 p.m. on Saturday.