Benedict Women’s Basketball Team Moves To 10th, 11th In National Polls
By: Benedict Athletics
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Benedict Athletics) — The Benedict College women’s basketball team moved up in the final regular-season polls. Benedict moved three spots to No. 11 in this week’s USA Today Sports Division II women’s basketball poll, and moved two spots to No. 10 in the Women’s Basketball Division II Media Poll, sponsored by D2SIDA.
The Lady Tigers are 27-2 overall, and are the second seed in the NCAA DII Women’s Basketball South Region Tournament and will face Florida Tech on Friday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
Benedict received 337 points from the panel of 27 Division II women’s basketball coaches.
Benedict is the only SIAC team ranked in the top 25, although Kentucky State received 22 points. They are one of three teams from the South Region with Union in ninth and Nova Southeastern in 23rd.
Benedict received 245 points in the Media Poll. They are one of three teams representing the South Region in that poll, with Union in fifth and Delta State is 24th.
The USA TODAY Sports Division II Top 25 women’s basketball coaches’ 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 | Lubbock Christian University (Texas) – 19 | 1 | 29-0 | 595 |
| 2 | Limestone College (S.C.) – 5 | 2 | 30-0 | 564 |
| 3 | Ashland University (Ohio) | 5 | 30-1 | 535 |
| 4 | University of Alaska – Anchorage | 6 | 33-2 | 510 |
| 5 | California Baptist University | 3 | 28-2 | 462 |
| 6 | Lewis University (Ill.) | 4 | 28-2 | 446 |
| 7 | Winona State University (Minn.) | 8 | 29-3 | 435 |
| 8 | Virginia Union University | 13 | 25-2 | 378 |
| 9 | Union University (Tenn.) | 9 | 28-3 | 363 |
| 10 | Missouri Western State | 7 | 27-3 | 362 |
| 11 | Benedict College (S.C.) | 14 | 27-2 | 337 |
| 12 | Arkansas Tech University | 15 | 26-3 | 308 |
| 13 | Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) | 18 | 27-3 | 291 |
| 14 | Drury University (Mo.) | 10 | 24-4 | 274 |
| 15 | West Texas A&M University | 11 | 26-4 | 258 |
| 16 | Fort Hays State University (Kan.) | 12 | 25-5 | 236 |
| 17 | West Liberty University (W.Va.) | 17 | 27-3 | 225 |
| 18 | Emporia State University (Kan.) | 20 | 26-5 | 223 |
| 19 | Pittsburg State University (Kan.) | 16 | 26-5 | 207 |
| 20 | Bellarmine University (Ky.) | 24 | 24-3 | 161 |
| 21 | University of California – San Diego | 19 | 24-4 | 120 |
| 22 | Quincy University (Ill.) | 22 | 25-5 | 73 |
| 23 | Nova Southeastern University (Fla.) | 21 | 23-6 | 60 |
| 24 | Columbus State University (Ga.) | 23 | 24-5 | 54 |
| 25 | Bentley University (Mass.) | NR | 25-5 | 53 |
Dropped Out: Anderson University (S.C.).
Others receiving votes: California State University – East Bay 43; Ursuline College (Ohio) 43; University Of Sioux Falls (S.D.) 38; Lander University (S.C.) 28; Kentucky State University 22; Anderson University (S.C.) 14; Colorado State University – Pueblo 14; American International College (Mass.) 7; Clayton State University (Ga.) 6; Florida Southern College 6; Shaw University (N.C.) 6; Wheeling Jesuit University (W.Va.) 6; California University of Pennsylvania (Pa.) 2; Northern State University (S.D.) 2.
3 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 32 combined points.
The USA TODAY Sports committee of coaches is made up of 27 head coaches at Division II institutions. All are members of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The 2015-16 committee: Chris Kielsmeier (Wayne State University (Neb.)), Chancellor Dugan (Bellarmine University) and Claudette Charney (Hillsdale College) – Non-voting Chairs, Suzy Barcomb (California State University – East Bay), Mark Miller (Holy Family University), Jacques Curtis (Shaw University), Russ Gregg (Erskin College), Beth Naumovski (Queens College), Tim Kirby (Harding University), Kirk Martin (Cedarville University), Carrie Lohr (Wayne State University (Mich.)), Katie Vaughn (University of Missouri – St. Louis), Julie Heisey (Seattle Pacific University), Scott Groninger (University of West Georgia), Jason Martens (St. Mary’s University), Noel Johnson (Midwestern State University), Ronda Hubbard (Missouri Southern State University), Kristin Kunzman (University of Virginia – Wise), Trisha Brown (Stonehill College), Sheila Green-Gerding (Minot State University), Jarrod Olson (California Baptist University), Mike Brandt (University of South Carolina – Aiken), Jess Strom (California University of Pennsylvania), Jason Flores (Fort Lewis College), Sarah Jansen (Mars Hill University), James Rice (Benedict College), and John Reynolds (Florida Institute of Technology).
2015-16 Women’s Basketball Division II Media Poll – March 8, 2016
The Women’s Basketball Division II Media Poll, sponsored by D2SIDA, in its second year of existence. The regional poll will be released every Monday, followed by the national poll every Tuesday. Each region has six representatives that comprise the regional poll. The national poll has 16 voters – 2 from each region.
National Poll – Week 16 – March 8, 2016
| Rank | School (1st place votes) | W-L | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week’s Results | ||
| 1 | Lubbock Christian (11) | 29-0 | 395 | 1 | WN Texas-Permian Basin 79-33, WN St. Mary’s 63-42, WN St. Edward’s 75-52 | ||
| 2 | Limestone (5) | 30-0 | 388 | 2 | WH Belmont Abbey (91-51 CC Quarterfinals; WH Erskine (89-54 Semis); WH King (56-53 Finals) | ||
| 3 | Alaska Anchorage | 33-2 | 363 | 6 | WN Simon Fraser (82-47), WN MSU Billings (77-52) | ||
| 4 | Ashland | 30-1 | 347 | 8 | WH Northern Michigan 68-54; WH Walsh 68-59; WH Grand Valley 70-53 | ||
| 5 | Union | 28-3 | 316 | 7 | WH-West Georgia (60-55), WN-Lee (69-50), LN-Delta State (69-63 OT) | ||
| 6 | Cal Baptist | 28-2 | 301 | 3 | WN Academy of Art (90-80), LN Azusa Pacific (58-75) | ||
| 7 | Lewis | 28-2 | 288 | 4 | WN Indianapolis 69-63 OT; LN Quincy 59-54 | ||
| 8 | Virginia Union | 25-2 | 267 | 17 | Idle | ||
| 9 | West Texas A&M | 26-4 | 253 | 9 | WN Midwestern State 63-44, WN Tarleton State 52-43, LN Angelo State 68-65 (2OT) | ||
| 10 | Benedict | 27-2 | 245 | 12 | WN-Paine (68-55), WN-Miles (65-58), WN-Kentucky State (74-52) | ||
| 11 | Emporia State | 26-5 | 236 | RV | WN Central Oklahoma (65-54); WN #1 Missouri Western (85-74); WN #3 Pittsburg State (80-66) | ||
| 12 | Bentley | 25-5 | 230 | 20 | WH Southern Conn. St. (78-74); WH American Int’l (67-60) | ||
| 13 | Pittsburg State | 26-5 | 196 | 18 | WN Central Missouri (78-68); WH #4 Fort Hays State (90-74); LN #5 Emporia State (80-66) | ||
| 14 | Azusa Pacific | 27-3 | 193 | 19 | WN Dominican (70-63), WN Cal Baptist (75-58) | ||
| 15 | West Liberty | 27-4 | 174 | 10 | WN UVA-Wise 73-51, WN Fairmont State 53-40, LN Wheeling Jesuit 70-66 | ||
| 16 | Missouri Western | 27-3 | 139 | 5 | WN Nebraska Kearney (64-53); LN #5 Emporia State (85-74) | ||
| 17 | Bellarmine | 24-3 | 138 | RV | WN Saint Joseph’s 59-52; WN Drury 80-77; WN Quincy 89-78 | ||
| 18 | American International | 25-5 | 125 | 14 | WH New Haven (75-67); LA Bentley (67-60) | ||
| 19 | Lander | 25-6 | 97 | RV | WN Clayton State (95-67 PBC Semifinals); WN Columbus State (72-68 PBC Finals) | ||
| 20 | UC San Diego | 24-4 | 86 | 13 | WH Cal Poly Pomona (71-60), LN Cal State East Bay (77-79) | ||
| 21 | Winona State | 29-3 | 75 | 11 | LN #8 Augustana University (85-84 OT) | ||
| 22 | Drury | 24-4 | 64 | 15 | WN Rockhurst 87-55; LN Bellarmine 80-77 | ||
| 23 | California (Pa.) | 24-5 | 62 | RV | WH Edinboro 75-67, WH Shippensburg 78-62, WH IUP 62-52 | ||
| 24 | Delta State | 22-6 | 50 | NR | WH-Christian Brothers (58-42), WN-Shorter (54-48), WN-Union (69-63) | ||
| 25 | Columbus State | 24-5 | 49 | 16 | WH Augusta (78-65 PBC Semifinals); LH Lander (72-68 PBC Finals) | ||
Dropped Out: Dropped Out: Nova Southeastern, Fort Hays State University, Quincy, Clayton State, Colorado School of Mines
Received Votes: Colorado State-Pueblo (45), Cal State East Bay (23), Quincy (17), Nova Southeastern (17), Fort Hays State (8), Philadelphia (6), University of Sioux Falls (4), Kentucky State (4), Clayton State (4), Wheeling Jesuit (3), Florida Southern (2), Angelo State (2), Arkansas Tech (1), Colorado Mines (1)
