Penn Women Enter Ranking at #16
William Penn Women's Athletics
Oskaloosa–The Lady Statesmen cagers finally made an appearance in the top 25 and what an entrance they made as Penn is 16th in the seventh NAIA Division II poll which was released today.
Penn (18-7, 9-2 MCC) was by far the biggest mover, jumping ten spots from #26 with 198 points this week. The program was 2-1 last week, extending its winning streak to eight games, including an upset of then-#11 St. Ambrose last Thursday.
The Lady Statesmen eventually had their streak snapped Saturday against Mount Mercy, but by being ranked as co-#1s with St. Ambrose in the conference rating, Penn was forced ahead of Iowa Wesleyan, who fell six slots to #20.
It is the first time Penn has been ranked in the top 25 since joining the NAIA in 2001-2002.
All seven of the squad’s setbacks this winter have come against programs currently ranked or were ranked or receiving votes at the time of the loss.
Davenport (Mich.) remains #1 for the fourth week in a row with 436 points and all 16 first-place votes. The rest of the top five (top eight in fact) are unchanged with Northwestern, Morningside, St. Francis (Ind.), and Black Hills State (S.D.) rounding out the top five.
St. Ambrose is again on top of the Midwest Collegiate Conference class in 13th. In addition to St. Ambrose, Penn, and Iowa Wesleyan, Mount Mercy (T-40th) gives the MCC four squads receiving at least one votes. Eight programs from the state of Iowa, including four from the Great Plains Athletic Conference, are represented in the top 25 or are receiving votes.
Penn travels to Mount Pleasant Wednesday to face Iowa Wesleyan in a crucial MCC matchup at 5:30 p.m.
NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Rating #7 – January 31, 2011
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
(Iowa Institutions bolded)
1. Davenport (Mich.) (16)
2. Northwestern
3. Morningside
4. St. Francis (Ind.)
5. Black Hills State (S.D.)
6. Sioux Falls (S.D.)
7. Kansas Wesleyan
8. Indiana Wesleyan
9. Ozarks (Mo.)
10. Daemen (N.Y.)
11. Walsh (Ohio)
12. Sterling (Kan.)
13. St. Ambrose
14. Cornerstone (Mich.)
15. Cedarville (Ohio)
16. William Penn
17. Briar Cliff
18. Northwest (Wash.)
19. Tennessee Wesleyan
20. Iowa Wesleyan
21. Indiana-Southeast
22. Mount Marty (S.D.)
23. Marian (Ind.)
24. Jamestown (N.D.)
25. Cardinal Stritch (Wis.)
Others receiving votes: Southwestern (Kan.) 63; Notre Dame (Ohio) 39; Minot State (N.D.) 37; Montreat (N.C.) 37; Peru State (Neb.) 19; Concordia (Ore.) 19; Concordia (Mich.) 14; Huntington (Ind.) 10; Milligan (Tenn.) 8; Valley City State (N.D.) 8; Dordt 7; Brescia (Ky.) 7; Saint Thomas (Fla.) 6; Union (Ky.) 3; Corban (Ore.) 1; Bethel (Ind.) 1; Mount Mercy 1; Indiana Northwest 1; Indiana Tech 1; Florida Memorial 1; Ave Maria (Fla.) 1.
