Women's Basketball Regains #1 Ranking in the Region,
Remains #12 in the Nation
February 23, 2005
According to the latest poll released by the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Committee on February 23, the University of Charleston moved up from #2 in last week's regional poll and currently possess the #1 ranking in the East Region. Fairmont State, last week's #1, fell to fourth following a road loss to WVU Tech. Anderson (SC), the highest nationally ranked team in the East Region at #5, jumped to second in the region behind UC.
UC remains in the #12 spot in the national rankings this week according to the latest USA Today/ ESPN/ WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll released Feb. 22. Fairmont State slid one spot to #7 and Anderson (SC) remained at #5.
The Golden Eagles have compiled an overall record of 23-3 and 19-2 in the region. UC is currently in second place for the regular season title in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC), behind Fairmont State by a mere 7.3 points. The WVIAC Regular Season Championship is still up in the air. UC concluded their regular season on Feb. 21 with a road win over Concord 94-70 giving the Eagles an impressive 17-1 WVIAC record. UC's only conference loss came on the road to Fairmont State on Feb. 10. Fairmont State controls its own fate and must win both of their two remaining regular season contests in order to clinch the WVIAC Regular Season Championship. The Falcons will be on the road Feb. 24 against West Liberty State and will return home for their final regular season contest against Salem International on Feb. 26.
Sherry Winn's squad will be preparing for the WVIAC Tournament during the upcoming week. First round action of the WVIAC Tournament will begin next week on various campus locations throughout the conference that have yet to be announced. The conference regular season champion will receive a bye, while the #2 through #8 seeds will host first round contests. To coincide with the beginning of "March Madness," the winners of the first round will venture to the Charleston Civic Center March 2-5, where the eventual WVIAC Tournament Champion will be crowned.
The NCAA East Region Tournament will be played March 11,12, and 14. The WVIAC Tournament Champion will receive an automatic bid, along with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference Champions. Five at-large bids will be awarded to the top five remaining programs in the East Region. The location for the NCAA East Region Tournament has yet to be determined.