Women's Basketball

UC, Glenville Women Both Hope to Land Regional
February 23, 2006

By Mike Whiteford
Staff writer, The Charleston Gazette 

It looks like a safe bet that the NCAA will schedule its Division II women’s East Region basketball tournament within the West Virginia borders.

The team that ends the season ranked No. 1 in the NCAA’s East Region earns the right to play host to the eight-team tournament, and it looks as if either the University of Charleston or Glenville State will be the team. The Golden Eagles and Pioneers are one and two, respectively, in the latest NCAA East Region rankings.

"It’s almost a lock that one of those teams will be the host school,’’ said Will Prewitt, the West Virginia Conference’s associate commissioner.

The NCAA tournament selection committee will meet March 5 to determine the regional rankings and tournament pairings. The East Region tourney is scheduled for March 10, 11 and 13. Last season’s East Regional, which was won by UC, took place in Anderson, S.C.

In spite of UC’s and Glenville’s regional strength, Wheeling Jesuit is the favorite to win the WVC regular-season title. The Cardinals (23-2 overall, 15-1 WVC) need to win their final games against Ohio Valley and West Liberty to finish No. 1 in the power ratings.

"If Wheeling wins out, it will win the league,’’ said Prewitt.

Wheeling Jesuit, however, is apparently not in contention for the role of East Region host school because of its nonconference schedule, which included NAIA and Division III opponents.

UC (25-2 overall, 17-1 WVC) played its final regular-season game with a victory at Concord Monday night and will begin WVC tournament play next week. Glenville (25-1, 16-1) ends the season at home against Alderson-Broaddus Saturday. The women’s conference tournament begins Feb. 27 at on-campus sites.

Five WVC women’s teams are ranked in the East Region’s top 10. In addition to UC and Glenville, Wheeling Jesuit is sixth, West Liberty seventh and Fairmont 10th.

In the USA Today/ESPN Division II national poll, Glenville is No. 4 and Charleston No. 6. No. 1 is Washburn (Kan.) University, a former coaching stop of UC football coach Tony DeMeo.