KANSAS CITY, MO. – Iowa Wesleyan College keeps on winning but made no more headway in the latest NAIA Division II women’s basketball top 25 coaches’ poll, coming in again at 14th in the ranking released Monday afternoon by the NAIA.
The Tigers actually lost votes this week, finishing with 249 votes after coming in with 258 points last week. IWC now has been ranked #14 for three weeks in a row and has spent five straight weeks ranked in the national poll. Wesleyan stayed in the same spot despite seeing losses by seven of the 13 teams ranked ahead of the Tigers last week and this week.
The Tigers held their position despite winning twice more last week to push its win streak to ten games. Included in the wins was a 75-73 triumph at then-19th ranked Grand View University, which moved up one spot this week to 18th despite losing to the Tigers. IWC also picked up a 70-44 win at Viterbo (Wis.) University, and on the week clinched the Midwest Collegiate Conference regular season title as well as the top seed in the MCC postseason tournament.
Iowa Wesleyan is now 21-7 overall, 14-1 in MCC play, and has won 19 of its last 20 games. The Tigers’ only loss in that span was a 58-50 decision on Jan. 9 at Mount Mercy College, which came in just outside the rankings this week and is 32nd ranked when including teams outside the top 25 but receiving votes.
IWC holds three wins over teams currently in the top 25, to go with a number of wins against teams just outside the rankings. The Tigers have defeated #18 Grand View (twice) and #23 Walsh (Ohio) University. Wesleyan also has defeated Mount Mercy College, St. Ambrose University (twice) and Marian (Ind.) University, all teams which received votes this week. The Tigers’ seven losses includes two against teams ranked in the NAIA D-II top 10, as well as losses to teams from NCAA Divisions I and II.
Wesleyan finishes the regular season on Saturday with Senior Day against Waldorf College at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast online live at www.iwc.edu/onlinemedia.
For more information regarding the IWC basketball programs or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Complete NAIA Division II Top 25 poll
