Tuesday, February, 19, 2008   

                                        

TUSCULUM WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CRACKS D-II TOP 25 POLL

“Pioneers Ranked No. 22 in the Nation”

 

                LILBURN, Ga. --- For the first time in school history, the Tusculum College women’s basketball team is listed in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll as the Pioneers are ranked No. 22 in the country.  Tusculum received 93 points and is the highest ranked team from the NCAA II South Atlantic Region.

 

                TC (21-3, 11-1 in South Atlantic Conference) is riding a six-game winning streak and has won 18 of its last 19 contests.  The Pioneers will defend their national ranking for the first time on Wednesday when they host two-time defending SAC Tournament Champion Newberry at 6 p.m.  Tusculum defeated Newberry last month 68-60 in an overtime thriller last month.

 

                Delta State holds the top spot in the poll, receiving 622 total points, including 24 first place votes.  Seattle Pacific is second with 599 points, followed by North Dakota (565), South Dakota (554 – 1st place vote) and Concordia-St. Paul (520).  Drury and Holy Family are tied for sixth, followed by Fort Lewis, Indiana (Pa.) and West Georgia.

 

                Alaska-Anchorage comes in at No. 11, followed by Arkansas Tech, Stonehill, Valdosta State, Anderson (S.C.), West Texas A&M, Washburn, Emporia State, Hillsdale, Franklin Pierce, Cal State-Chico, Tusculum, Francis Marion, Cal State-San Bernardino and Fairmont State to round out the Top 25.

 

                A win on Wednesday would clinch at least a share of Tusculum’s first-ever South Atlantic Conference regular season championship.

 

- TC -

 

 

USA Today/ESPN Division II Women’s Basketball Top 25

Rk.

Team (1st Place Votes)

Prv.

1

Delta State (24)

1

2

Seattle Pacific

2

3

North Dakota

3

4

South Dakota (1)

4

5

Concordia-St. Paul

5

6

Drury

6

 

Holy Family

7

8

Fort Lewis

8

9

Indiana (Pa.)

9

10

West Georgia

10

11

Alaska Anchorage

11

12

Arkansas Tech

12

13

Stonehill

15

14

Valdosta State

14

15

Anderson (S.C.)

16

16

West Texas A&M

17

17

Washburn

18

18

Emporia State

20

19

Hillsdale

22

20

Franklin Pierce

21

21

Cal State-Chico

13

22

TUSCULUM

NR

23

Francis Marion

25

24

Cal State-San Bernardino

NR

25

Fairmont State

19

Others Receiving Votes: Augustana 33; Missouri S&T 25; Assumption 18; Augustana 17; Michigan Tech 14; West Liberty State 13; Clayton State 12; Saint Mary’s (Texas) 12; USC Aiken 10; California (Pa.), Shepherd 3; Indianapolis 3; American International 2, Bowie State 1; Lander 1; Nebraska-Kearney 1; Tampa 1.