AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team moved into the top 25 for the first time this season at No. 25 in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll.
The ranking is the first for the USC Aiken women's basketball team since the Feb. 3, 2009 poll. The Pacers were ranked in the first ten polls of the 2008-09 season, reaching as high as a program-best seventh in the Dec. 2, 2008 poll.
USC Aiken has been in the top 25 for at least one week in three of the last four seasons. Prior to being ranked in the 2007-08 preseason poll, USC Aiken had last appeared in a national poll on Dec. 12, 2002 when they were 20th. The Pacers dropped out the following week, ending a string of 16 straight polls appeared in at the time dating back to 2001.
Currently, USC Aiken owns an overall record of 9-2 in the 2010-11 season. The Pacers are presently a perfect 3-0 in Peach Belt Conference action
The Pacers are in the midst of a season-best four-game winning streak.
USC Aiken closes out the 2010 calendar portion of its year this week with two games. The Pacers will first welcome Shaw to the Convocation Center for a 6 p.m. game tonight (Tuesday, Dec. 14). The game will serve as Junior Pacer Night.
Two days from now, USC Aiken will hit the road for a 2 p.m. contest with defending South Atlantic Conference champion Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, N.C. It will mark the second meeting between the Pacers and the Bears this season with USC Aiken downing Lenoir-Rhyne, 70-41, at the Convocation Center on Nov. 29.
Both of USC Aiken's games on the week will be able to be followed live on USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com.
Week 4 Poll: December 14, 2010
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 Delta State University (Miss.) -22 1 8-0 692
2 Lander University (S.C.) -4 2 9-0 646
3 Fort Lewis College (Colo.) -2 3 8-0 629
4 Washburn University (Kan.) 4 8-0 596
5 Arkansas Tech University 5 7-1 557
6 Clayton State University (Ga.) 6 9-0 516
7 Northeastern State University (Okla.) 7 7-0 490
8 Emporia State University (Kan.) 8 7-1 482
9 Grand Valley State University (Mich.) 9 8-0 439
10 Wayne State College (Neb.) 13 7-1 381
11 University of Alaska - Anchorage 12 8-2 378
12 Michigan Technological University 15 6-1 289
13 Franklin Pierce University (N.H.) 10 8-2 280
14 Rollins College (Fla.) T19 10-0 254
15 Holy Family University (Pa.) 16 5-2 237
16 Augustana College (S.D.) T19 10-1 216
17 Millersville University of Pennsylvania 11 6-1 210
18 Western Washington University 14 6-1 205
19 Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) 21 10-1 195
20 California State University - Chico 17 7-1 161
21 Gannon University (Pa.) 22 3-1 159
22 West Texas A&M University 23 5-2 128
23 Seattle Pacific University (Wash.) NR 4-2 120
24 Bentley University (Mass.) NR 6-1 115
25 USC Aiken NR 9-2 93
Dropped Out: Pace University (N.Y.); California University of Pennsylvania; University of Indianapolis (Ind.).
Others receiving votes: Dixie State College of Utah 74; Pace University (N.Y.) 70; Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colo.) 59; West Liberty University (W.Va.) 50; California University of Pennsylvania 46; University of Indianapolis (Ind.) 46; Shaw University (N.C.) 31; West Chester University of Pennsylvania 30; Adams State College (Colo.) 22; University of Wisconsin - Parkside 21; Harding University (Ark.) 20; Johnson C Smith University (N.C.) 19; Tarleton State University (Texas) 19; University of California - San Diego 14; Northern Kentucky University 13; American International College (Mass.) 12; Augusta State University (Ga.) 9; Fort Valley State University (Ga.) 9; Virginia State University 9; University of Arkansas - Fort Smith 8; University of Tampa (Fla.) 8; Drury University (Mo.) 7; Barton College (N.C.) 6; Southeastern Oklahoma State University 5; Tusculum College (Tenn.) 5; Northwest Missouri State University 4; Concordia University (Minn.) 3; Florida Southern College 2; Francis Marion University (S.C.) 2; Henderson State University (Ark.) 2; Minnesota State University - Moorhead 2; Seton Hill University (Pa.) 2; Georgia College & State University 1; Southwestern Oklahoma State University 1; West Virginia Wesleyan 1.
The USA TODAY ESPN board of coaches is made up of 30 head coaches at Division II institutions. All are members of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The 2010-11 board: Carmen Dolfo - Non-voting Chair (Western Washington University), Gloria Bradley (Wayne State University), 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), Scott Hyland (Texas A&M University - Kingsville), Chris Kielsmeier (Wayne State College), Angie Kristensen (Dixie State College of Utah), 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), Ron McHenry (Washburn University), Mark Miller (Holy Family University), Barbara Nelson (Wingate University), Tim O'Hagan (Molloy College), Sandra Rushing (Delta State University), Rick Stein (University of Southern Indiana), Mark Swasey (California University of Pennsylvania), Latricia Trammell (Western State College of Colorado), Julie Van Beek (Seattle Pacific University), Phillip Wallace (Miles College), Dave Wilbers (Arkansas Tech University), Glenn Wilkes (Rollins College), Helen Williams (Merrimack College), and Nancy Winstel (Northern Kentucky University).
*Please note that all voters for the DII poll are required to vote each week between 8 a.m. Monday and 1 p.m. Tuesday ET.
