LILBURN, Ga. --- The Tusculum College women's basketball team is ranked ninth in the final 2009-10 edition of the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches' Poll after advancing to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time in program history.
Tusculum (23-10) posted its fifth straight winning season en route to the program's first-ever NCAA Division II Southeast Region Championship and capturing the school's first Food Lion South Atlantic Conference title to punch its third straight ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
Tusculum's No. 9 national ranking at the end of the year is the best in program history at the NCAA II level. Last year's squad finished the season ranked 21st in the land after advancing to the second round of the NCAA postseason.
The Pioneers sent one of the nation's top offensive units to the floor this season, ending the campaign ranked 14th in the country in scoring offense (77.8). Tusculum closed out the season as one of the nation's hottest teams, winning 14 of its last 17, including four over nationally-ranked opponents.
Emporia State University (30-5) is ranked atop the poll after capturing the program's first-ever national championship, with 20 of 22 first place votes. Gannon University (37-1) is ranked second with two first place votes, followed by Fort Lewis College (35-4), Franklin Pierce University (32-2), and Michigan Technological University (28-2). Arkansas Tech University (31-3) is ranked sixth, followed by Seattle Pacific University (27-4), Delta State University (27-4), Tusculum, and Washburn University (27-4).
The Pioneers are one of four Southeast Region teams ranked in the top 25, including No. 11 Lander University, No. 20 Francis Marion University, and No. 22 Clayton State University. Including No. 2 Gannon, Tusculum's national quarterfinal opponent, the Pioneers played four teams in this year's final Top 25.
Tusculum is slated to return four of their top five scorers from this season's Southeast Region Championship squad, including All-American guard Jasmine Gunn, the reigning SAC and Southeast Region Player of the Year.
- TC -
|
Rk. |
Institution- First Place Votes |
Prv. |
|
1 |
Emporia State University -20 |
15 |
|
2 |
Gannon University -2 |
1 |
|
3 |
Fort Lewis College |
6 |
|
4 |
Franklin Pierce University |
2 |
|
5 |
Michigan Technological University |
3 |
|
6 |
Arkansas Tech University |
4 |
|
7 |
Seattle Pacific University |
13 |
|
8 |
Delta State University |
8 |
|
9 |
Tusculum College |
35 |
|
10 |
Washburn University |
7 |
|
11 |
Lander University |
11 |
|
12 |
West Texas A&M University |
9 |
|
13 |
Holy Family University |
16 |
|
14 |
University of Indianapolis |
5 |
|
15 |
University of California - San Diego |
12 |
|
16 |
University of Alaska - Anchorage |
14 |
|
17 |
Fort Valley State University |
10 |
|
18 |
University of Tampa |
17 |
|
19 |
Concordia University, St. Paul |
21 |
|
20 |
Francis Marion University |
20 |
|
21 |
Drury University |
28 |
|
22 |
Clayton State University |
19 |
|
23 |
Millersville University |
27 |
|
|
Northeastern State University |
29 |
|
25 |
Western Washington University |
18 |
Others Receiving Votes: California State University, Chico -61; Fairmont State University -16; Tarleton State University -15; Valdosta State University -15; Northern Michigan University -14; Fort Hays State University -12; University of Wisconsin, Parkside -9; Quincy University -8; Colorado State University, Pueblo -7; Seton Hill University -7; Newberry College -4; Virginia State University -4; Stonehill College -3; Augustana College -2; Molloy College -2; Northwest Nazarene University -1; University of Findlay -1.
