Arkansas Tech Women’s Basketball falls to No. 6 in this week’s second regular season USA Today/ESPN WBCA Division II Coaches’ Poll

RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Women’s Basketball fell six spots to No. 6 from No. 1 in this week’s second regular season USA Today/ESPN WBCA Division II Coaches’ Poll that was released on Tuesday.

Tech fell from the top spot in this week’s poll after suffering an 85-73 loss this past Saturday at West Alabama. The Golden Suns, who have now been ranked for 16 consecutive weeks and have been ranked in the Top 10 for 10 straight weeks, earned 509 points in this week’s second regular season poll.
The USA Today/ESPN WBCA Coaches’ Poll is voted on weekly by a panel of 30 head coaches at NCAA Division II institutions and all the coaches are members of the WBCA (Women’s Basketball Coaches Association). This season, Tech Head Coach Dave Wilbers will once again serve as a voter in the poll.

Tech, who is 5-1 on the season after earning a 66-56 win on Monday at West Georgia, is one of four Gulf South Conference team mentioned in this week’s poll as Tech’s GSC West Division rival Delta State (5-0) moves up to the top spot this week to replace the Golden Suns as the Lady Statesmen earned 661 points and 21 out of a possible 28 first place votes. In addition to Tech and DSU, West Alabama (4-0) earned 27 votes to be ninth among the 36 teams earning votes, while Henderson State (5-1) earned four votes in this week’s poll.

Following Delta State in this week’s second regular season poll is Lander (6-0) at No. 2 as they earned 652 points and five first place votes, while Fort Lewis College (5-0) jumps five spots to No. 3 as the Skyhawks earned 583 points and the final two first place votes. Washburn (4-0) jumps five spots to No. 4 and Seattle Pacific (2-0) leaps one spot to round out this week’s Top 5 at No. 5.

Tech is followed in this week’s poll at No. 7 by Franklin Pierce (6-0), while Holy Family (3-1) falls four spots to No. 8. Clayton State (8-0) jumps four spots to No. 9 and Emporia State (3-1) falls five spots to complete this week’s Top 10.

Indianapolis (4-1) falls four spots to No. 11 and the Greyhounds are followed by West Texas A&M (2-1), who plays at Tech on Dec. 29, is at No. 12 and Northeastern State (3-0) advances one spot to No. 13. Grand Valley State (4-0) jumps two spots to No. 14 and the Lakers are followed by Alaska-Anchorage (5-2) at No. 15 and Millersville [PA] (4-0) jumps three spots to No. 16 this week. Augustana [SD] (7-0) advances five spots to. 17, while Wayne State [NE] (3-1) falls one spot to No. 18, Michigan Tech (3-1) falls five spots to No. 19 and Western Washington (4-0) jumps four spots to No. 20 this week.

The final five in this week’s poll begins with Cal State-Chico (4-0) at No. 21, while Gannon [PA] (2-1) drops four spots to No. 22 and Tusculum (3-3) remains at No. 23. California [PA] (3-1) moves into this week’s poll at No. 24 and Francis Marion (3-0) moves into the poll at No. 25.

Tech will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 4 as they welcome St. Edward’s (5-3 on the season) to Tucker Coliseum for a 4 p.m. non-conference contest. The Golden Suns enter the game having won 22 straight home games dating to the 2008-09 season.