ST. GEORGE – For the first time in the programs NCAA DII history, the Dixie State College Women’s Basketball team cracked the Top 25 rankings. The seventh week version ranked Dixie State at number 25 with 91 votes.
The Red Storm (10-1 Overall, 0-0 PacWest) has been hovering just on the outside for the last several weeks and moved up one spot from 26th.
The Dixie State season has featured a 76-66 win over then #5 Seattle Pacific (now 17th) and a loss on the road to #12 Alaska Anchorage. To begin the season, DSC featured two exhibition wins over DI Southern Utah and Utah Valley. They then opened the regular season with a 71-67 win over DI Utah State in Logan. DSC rattled off seven consecutive wins before the loss at Alaska Anchorage and are currently on a two game win streak.
Coach Angela Kristensen commented on her ranking, ““Breaking into the top 25 is a great tribute to the effort and focus our players put into the first part of the season. Without having the tradition of being a perennial national power it has been a longer process, but has been worth the wait. We don’t put a lot of emphasis on rankings, but it is nice to be recognized for our success on the national level.”
Dixie State opens PacWest Conference play this weekend with arguably their most important game of the season by hosting #16 Grand Canyon University (12-1, 0-0 PacWest) on Saturday night at 5:30 PM in the Burns Arena. Log on to www.dixieathletics.com <http://www.dixieathletics.com
USA TODAY ESPN DIVISION II TOP 25 COACHES' POLL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Week 7 Poll: January 4, 2011
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 Rank Record Total Points
1 Delta State University (Miss.) -22 1 12-0 715
2 Lander University (S.C.) -5 2 13-0 674
3 Fort Lewis College (Colo.) -2 3 12-0 656
4 Arkansas Tech University 5 11-1 602
5 Clayton State University (Ga.) 6 13-0 583
6 Emporia State University (Kan.) 8 9-1 536
7 Northeastern State University (Okla.) 7 9-1 525
8 Washburn University (Kan.) 4 9-1 504
9 Wayne State College (Neb.) 10 10-1 445
10 Michigan Technological University 12 9-1 421
11 Grand Valley State University (Mich.) 9 10-1 354
12 University of Alaska – Anchorage 11 11-3 340
13 Western Washington University 18 10-1 268
14 Rollins College (Fla.) 14 12-1 251
15 Holy Family University (Pa.) 15 6-2 249
16 Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) 19 12-1 243
17 Seattle Pacific University (Wash.) 23 9-2 221
18 Millersville University of Pennsylvania 17 7-2 212
19 Bentley University (Mass.) 24 10-1 200
20 California State University – Chico 20 9-1 193
21 Augustana College (S.D.) 16 12-2 157
T22 Gannon University (Pa.) 21 6-2 133
T22 University of South Carolina – Aiken 25 12-2 133
24 Franklin Pierce University (N.H.) 13 9-4 116
25 Dixie State College of Utah NR 10-1 91
Dropped Out: West Texas A&M University.
Others receiving votes: Pace University (N.Y.) 72; Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colo.) 65; West Liberty University (W.Va.) 43; West Texas A&M University 36; California University of Pennsylvania 34; University of Indianapolis (Ind.) 34; Johnson C Smith University (N.C.) 23; Quincy University (Ill.) 22; Tarleton State University (Texas) 22; Bowie State University (Md.) 21; Mesa State College (Colo.) 20; Augusta State University (Ga.) 19; University of Tampa (Fla.) 17; North Georgia College & State University 14; University of California – San Diego 14; Shaw University (N.C.) 13; University of Wisconsin – Parkside 13; Southeastern Oklahoma State University 12; University of West Alabama 12; American International College (Mass.) 11; Henderson State University (Ark.) 9; Fort Valley State University (Ga.) 8; Georgia College & State University 8; Drury University (Mo.) 7; Northern Kentucky University 6; Tusculum College (Tenn.) 5; Virginia State University 5; Winona State University (Minn.) 5; Barton College (N.C.) 3; Concordia University (Minn.) 3; Seton Hill University (Pa.) 3; Francis Marion University (S.C.) 2; Minnesota State University – Moorhead 2; California State University – Monterey Bay 1; Florida Southern College 1; Glenville State College (W.Va.) 1; Northwest Missouri State University 1.
The USA TODAY ESPN board of coaches is made up of 30 head coaches at Division II institutions. All are members of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) <http://www.wbca.org/> . The 2010-11 board: Carmen Dolfo – Non-voting Chair (Western Washington University), Gloria Bradley (Wayne State University), Mike Brandt (University of South Carolina – Aiken), Lester Butler (University of the District of Columbia), Dennis Cox (Clayton State University), Charity Elliott (University of California – San Diego), Corey Fox (Limestone College), Scott Hyland (Texas A&M University – Kingsville), Chris Kielsmeier (Wayne State College), Angie Kristensen (Dixie State College of Utah), Kelly Kruger (Adams State College), Ferne Labati (Seton Hill University), Shawna Lavender (Abilene Christian University), Jason Martens (Saint Mary’s University, Texas), Patrick Mashuda (Chowan University), Stephen McDonald (Fairmont State University), Ron McHenry (Washburn University), Mark Miller (Holy Family University), Barbara Nelson (Wingate University), Tim O’Hagan (Molloy College), Sandra Rushing (Delta State University), Rick Stein (University of Southern Indiana), Mark Swasey (California University of Pennsylvania), Latricia Trammell (Western State College of Colorado), Julie Van Beek (Seattle Pacific University), Phillip Wallace (Miles College), Dave Wilbers (Arkansas Tech University), Glenn Wilkes (Rollins College), Helen Williams (Merrimack College), and Nancy Winstel (Northern Kentucky University).
*Please note that all voters for the DII poll are required to vote each week between 8 a.m. Monday and 1 p.m. Tuesday ET.
Previous Weekly Polls <http://www.wbca.org/news/top-