December 8, 2009

Patriot Women move up one spot in Top 25 poll

The unbeaten Francis Marion University women's basketball team moved up one position to 17th in this week's USA TODAY ESPN Division II Top 25 coaches' poll released on Tuesday (Dec. 8).

The 7-0 Patriots are currently taking a 10-day break for exams.  FMU will return to action on Friday, Dec. 18, against Tusculum College (3-1) at 7:30 p.m. in the OrthoCarolina Classic in Wingate, N.C.  The Patriots will play the host school, Wingate University (4-3), on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Francis Marion was ranked 14th in the final 2008-09 poll after finishing 27-5 and reaching the round of Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.  The Patriots were unranked in the 2009-10 preseason poll, but were the top school among the others receiving votes.  FMU entered the first regular-season poll at the No. 22 spot and moved up to 18th in last week's poll.

Michigan Tech (5-0) was a near unanimous choice for the top spot this week, receiving 23 of 26 first-place votes.

Two other Peach Belt Conference schools appeared in this week's rankings, while two other members were among the other schools receiving votes.

 

 

USA TODAY ESPN DIVISION II TOP 25 COACHES' POLL
Week 3 Poll: December 8, 2009

No.         Institution (First Place Votes)                     PWR    Record Points
1              Michigan Technological University (23)      1          5-0          646
2              Franklin Pierce University (N.H.) (1)          2          5-0          616
3              Delta State University (Miss.) (1)              4          7-0          570
4              University of Alaska Anchorage                 6          6-0          544
5              University of Indianapolis (Ind.) (1)          8           7-0          534
6              Gannon University (Pa.)                           9           9-0          492
7              Fort Lewis College (Colo.)                         3           9-1          447
8              Clayton State University (Ga.)                  11         4-0          405
9              Emporia State University (Kan.)               5            6-1          394
10           California University of Pennsylvania         10          5-1          377
T11         Minnesota State University, Mankato        12           6-1          347
T11         Washburn University (Kan.)                      15          6-0          347
13           University of California-San Diego              13          3-0          335
14           West Texas A&M University                       7            6-1          333
15           University of Tampa (Fla.)                          16          7-0          288
16           Quincy University (Ill.)                               17          9-0          281
17           Francis Marion University (S.C.)          18         7-0         221
18           Johnson C. Smith University (N.C.)            22          7-1          151
19           Seattle Pacific University (Wash.)               14          4-1          148
20           Virginia State University                            24           7-0          116
21           Stonehill College (Mass.)                            21          8-2          106
22           Lenoir-Rhyne University (N.C.)                   23          5-1          99
23           Lander University (S.C.)                             25          4-0          88
24           Arkansas Tech University                           NR          7-0          74
25           Southeastern Oklahoma State Univ.           NR          7-0          61

Others Receiving Votes: Carson-Newman College (Tenn.) - 59; Millersville University of Pennsylvania - 44; Minnesota State University, Moorhead - 39; Concordia University, St. Paul (Minn.) - 35; Shaw University (N.C.) - 28; Tarleton State University (Texas) - 24; Tusculum College (Tenn.) - 20; Assumption College (Mass.) - 16; Northwest Nazarene University (Idaho) - 14; Texas A&M University-Kingsville - 13; Adams State College (Colo.) - 12; Drury University (Mo.) - 12; West Chester University of Pennsylvania - 11; Fort Valley State University (Ga.) - 10; Bentley University (Mass.) - 7; Newberry College (S.C.) - 3; Humboldt State University (Calif.) - 2; Lynn University (Fla.) - 2; University of South Carolina Aiken - 2; Augustana College (S.D.) -  1; University of Central Missouri - 1; Florida Southern College - 1; Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) - 1; University of Montevallo (Ala.) - 1.