ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY

ATHLETICS 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2009
Contact: Ben Greenberg, SID (479) 968-0645

GOLDEN SUNS BASKETBALL RECEIVES 26 VOTES IN LATEST
USA TODAY/ESPN WBCA D-II COACHES' TOP 25 POLL

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas Arkansas Tech Women’s Basketball received 26 votes to be sixth among teams receiving votes in this week’s 10th regular season USA Today/ESPN WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll that was released on Tuesday.

Tech, who earned 35 votes last week to be third among team’s receiving votes, improved to 16-5 overall and 6-2 in the GSC with its 67-46 home win last Thursday over Southern Arkansas. Tech has now been either been ranked or has received votes in every poll this season.

The USA Today/ESPN WBCA Coaches’ Poll is voted on weekly by a panel of 29 head coaches at NCAA Division II institutions and all the coaches are members of the WBCA (Women’s Basketball Coaches Association). This season, Tech Head Coach Dave Wilbers is one of the voters in this year’s poll.

Tech is one of four Gulf South Conference schools that are receiving votes in this week’s poll. Delta State received 15 votes after being ranked 25th last week, while Arkansas-Monticello earned 11 votes and West Georgia received eight votes in this week’s poll.

In addition to the three GSC foes, another of Tech’s opponents this season was mentioned in this week’s poll as Fort Lewis (18-1 on the season) moved up one spot to No. 2 this week. Fort Lewis posted a 73-64 overtime win over the Golden Suns at Rollins’ Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 29 in Winter Park, Fla.

Alaska-Anchorage (22-1 on the season) leads the poll for the third straight week as they earned 700 points and all 28 first place votes. Fort Lewis is ranked second and Minnesota State-Mankato (21-1 on the season) moved up two spots to No. 3 this week. Northern Kentucky (19-2 on the season) jumps two spots to No. 4 and Hillsdale (19-2 on the season) moves up to two spots to No. 5 this week.

California [PA] (18-3 on the season) falls four spots to No. 6 and are followed by West Texas A&M (19-3 on the season) at No. 7 and Emporia State (19-3 on the season) at No. 8. Washburn (19-3 on the season) and California-San Diego (21-2 on the season) round out the Top 10 at Nos. 9 and 10 respectively.

Indiana [PA] (18-3 on the season) jumps to two spots to No. 11 and are followed by Michigan Tech (17-2 on the season) at No. 12 and Central Oklahoma (18-3 on the season) at No. 13. Tusculum (18-3 on the season) leaps one spot to No. 14, while Francis Marion (19-1 on the season) jumps two spots to No. 15 and Saint Mary’s [TX] (19-2 on the season) leaps five spots to No. 16. Seattle Pacific (15-4 on the season) jumps two spots to No. 17 and is followed by University of District of Columbia (19-3 on the season) at No. 18, Quincy (20-3 on the season) jumps into the poll at No. 19 and Stonehill (17-5 on the season) rounds out the Top 20 at No. 20.

Rollins [FL] (18-3 on the season) falls three spots to No. 21 and are followed by Minnesota State-Moorhead (17-5 on the season) falls two spots to No. 22 and Lenoir-Rhyne (19-3 on the season) falls one spot to No. 23. Clayton State (17-4 on season) joins this week’s poll at No. 24 and Franklin Pierce (16-5 on the season) falls one spot to No. 25 this week.

The Golden Suns will return to action on Thursday, Feb. 12, when they conclude its three-game homestand against Henderson State (9-11 overall, 3-5 GSC). Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at Tucker Coliseum.

USA TODAY ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll

Week 9 Poll: February 10, 2009

USA TODAY ESPN Division II Top 25 women's basketball poll, with first-place votes to the right, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th.

Rank

Institution - First Place Votes 

Previous Poll

Record

Points

1.

University of Alaska-Anchorage (28)

1

22-1

700

2.

Fort Lewis College (Colo.)

3

18-1

667

3.

Minnesota State University-Mankato

5

21-1

637

4.

Northern Kentucky University

6

19-2

591

5.

Hillsdale College (Mich.)

7

19-2

569

6.

California University of Pennsylvania

2

18-3

526

7.

West Texas A&M University

9

19-3

510

8.

Emporia State University (Kan.)

4

19-3

472

9.

Washburn University (Kan.)

10

19-3

465

10.

University of California, San Diego

12

21-2

459

11.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

13

18-3

385

12.

Michigan Technological University

8

17-2

364

13.

University of Central Oklahoma

14

18-3

353

14.

Tusculum College (Tenn.)

15

18-3

314

15.

Francis Marion University (S.C.)

17

19-1

310

16.

Saint Mary's University (Texas)

21

19-2

241

17.

Seattle Pacific University (Wash.)

19

15-4

220

18.

University of District of Columbia

16

19-3

189

19.

Quincy University (Ill.)

NR

20-3

179

20.

Stonehill College (Mass.)

11

17-5

160

21.

Rollins College (Fla.)

18

18-3

126

22.

Minnesota State University-Moorhead

20

17-5

83

23.

Lenoir-Rhyne University (N.C.)

22

19-3

72

24.

Clayton State University (Ga.)

NR

17-4

67

25.

Franklin Pierce University (N.H.)

24

16-5

53

 

Dropped Out: University of South Carolina-Aiken, Delta State University (Miss.).

Others Receiving Votes: Holy Family University (Pa.) - 52; Gannon University (Pa.) - 39; Clark Atlanta University (Ga.) - 35; Fayetteville State University (N.C.) - 32; Virginia State University - 32; Arkansas Tech University - 26; Saint Cloud State University (Minn.) - 25; University of South Carolina-Aiken - 23; Delta State University (Miss.) - 15; Georgia College & State University - 15; Fort Valley State University (Ga.) - 13; Bentley University (Mass.) - 11; University of Arkansas-Monticello - 11; Augustana College (S.D.) - 10; Molloy College (N.Y.) - 10; Grand Valley State University (Mich.) - 9 ; University of West Georgia - 8; Pittsburg State University (Kan.) - 7; Northwood University (Mich.) - 6; American International College (Mass.) - 3; University of Indianapolis (Ind.) - 3; University of Tampa (Fla.) - 2; Drury University (Mo.) - 1.

Tech opponents denoted in Bold/Italics
GSC teams denoted in Italics

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