AMERICUS - There's a newcomer in the USA TODAY ESPN NCAA Division II women's basketball coaches' poll. For the first time in school history, Georgia Southwestern has been listed amongst the nation's best.
The Lady Hurricanes received seven points in the poll, released on Tuesday afternoon, 64 points behind No. 25 Dowling College (N.Y.).
GSW joins defending national champion Clayton State (5th), USC Aiken (14th) and Lander (six points) as Peach Belt Conference schools recognized in this week's rankings.
The Lady Hurricanes (8-2, 1-1 PBC) have been idle since Dec. 14 when they dropped a 66-62 decision at No. 5 Clayton State.
Head Coach Kelly Britsky has done an amazing job turning around a program that was 1-26 just four years ago.
GSW currently leads the Peach Belt in rebounding, 3-pointers per game and scoring average. Adrian Randall ranks third in the PBC in rebounding, fifth in total blocks and 11th in scoring. Terra Branch leads the PBC in free throw percentage and ranks third in scoring and 3-point field goal percentage.
Southwestern is back in action tomorrow, hosting Coastal Georgia at 5 p.m.
Below is a look at this week's poll:
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
|
Arkansas Tech University -24 |
2
|
8-0
|
700
|
|
2
|
Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colo.) -3 |
3
|
11-0
|
696
|
|
3
|
University of California - San Diego -1 |
4
|
12-0
|
685
|
|
4
|
Bentley University (Mass.) -1 |
1
|
11-1
|
634
|
|
5
|
Clayton State University (Ga.) |
5
|
12-1
|
632
|
|
6
|
Fort Lewis College (Colo.) |
6
|
10-1
|
567
|
|
7
|
Edinboro University (Pa.) -1 |
8
|
10-0
|
557
|
|
8
|
Wayne State College (Neb.) |
9
|
12-1
|
548
|
|
9
|
University of Alaska - Anchorage |
10
|
12-2
|
497
|
|
10
|
Rollins College (Fla.) |
13
|
9-1
|
435
|
|
11
|
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona |
11
|
8-1
|
406
|
|
12
|
Northeastern State University (Okla.) |
14
|
12-1
|
388
|
|
13
|
Pittsburg State University (Kan.) |
18
|
12-0
|
360
|
|
14
|
University of South Carolina - Aiken |
16
|
9-1
|
352
|
|
T15
|
Assumption College (Mass.) |
12
|
10-1
|
321
|
|
T15
|
Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) |
15
|
8-1
|
321
|
|
17
|
University of Wisconsin - Parkside |
17
|
8-2
|
240
|
|
18
|
Ashland University (Ohio) |
25
|
10-1
|
194
|
|
19
|
Emporia State University (Kan.) |
23
|
9-1
|
192
|
|
20
|
Washburn University (Kan.) |
21
|
11-3
|
190
|
|
21
|
Michigan Technological University (Mich.) |
7
|
8-3
|
130
|
|
22
|
Florida Southern College |
20
|
9-2
|
110
|
|
23
|
Franklin Pierce University (N.H.) |
19
|
8-3
|
89
|
|
24
|
Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
NR
|
10-0
|
83
|
|
25
|
Dowling College (N.Y.) |
NR
|
9-2
|
71
|
Dropped Out: University of Central Missouri 22; Shaw University (N.C.) 24.
Others Receiving Votes: Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania 67; Fort Hays State University (Kan.) 66; University of Indianapolis (Ind.) 34; Missouri S & T 29; Gannon University (Pa.) 25; Lenoir-Rhyne University (N.C.) 18; Delta State University (Miss.) 16; University of District of Columbia 15; Johnson C Smith University (N.C.) 13; University of Central Missouri 10; Newman University (Kan.) 8; Georgia Southwestern State University 7; Seattle Pacific University (Wash.) 7; Augustana College (S.D.) 6; Lander University (S.C.) 6; California State University - Monterey Bay 4; Truman State University (Mo.) 4; University of Mary (N.D.) 4; California State University - Chico 3; Dixie State College of Utah 3; Wingate University (N.C.) 3; Northern Kentucky University (Ky.) 2; West Chester University of Pennsylvania 1; Western Washington University 1.
The USA TODAY ESPN board of coaches is made up of 33 head coaches at Division II institutions. All are members of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The 2011-12 board: Carmen Dolfo - Non-voting Chair (Western Washington University), Linda Cimino (Caldwell College), 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), Meghan Burke Brown (Southern Connecticut State University), Chris Kielsmeier (Wayne State College), Cleve Wright (Gannon University), 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), Claudette Charney (Hillsdale College), Tim Kirby (Harding University), Todd Starkey (Lenoir Rhyne University), Tim O’Hagan (Molloy College), Sandra Rushing (Delta State University), Rick Stein (University of Southern Indiana), Paul Fessler (Concordia University, St. Paul), Latricia Trammell (Western State College of Colorado), Tracey Dorow (Ferris State University), Phillip Wallace (Miles College), Sally Brooks (Angelo State University), Glenn Wilkes (Rollins College), Lane Lord (Pittsburg State University), Nancy Winstel (Northern Kentucky University), Tim Moser (University of Alaska, Anchorage), Trent May (Grand Canyon University), and Van Girard (California State Univ. Dominguez Hills).