FROM IUP SPORTS INFORMATION
After an historic season, IUP women’s basketball has landed at No. 3 in the final Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NCAA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll of 2017-18. The final ranking was announced Saturday, March 26.
This is the highest end-of-season ranking for IUP in the history of the program.
The Crimson Hawks finished with a 30-4 overall record and advanced to the national semifinals of the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. IUP won the Atlantic Region Championship in Richmond – its second ever regional title – and finished as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division regular season champs.
IUP’s 30 victories set a new program record, as did its .882 win percentage. The Crimson Hawks extended their record to 21 consecutive home victories (which began last season) and tied the program record with 20 conference victories.
National champion Central Missouri (30-3) earned 20 first place votes to finish as the top-ranked team in Division II. Ashland (34-1) which defeated the Crimson Hawks in the semifinals before falling to Central Missouri, earned three first place votes and finished at No. 2.
Following IUP in the rankings were Union (32-4) at No. 4, Carson-Newman (32-3) at No. 5, and Lubbock Christian (31-2) at No. 6. The top six schools in the final poll were all Elite Eight participants, in addition to No. 8 Stonehill (29-4) and No. 14 Montana State Billings (25-12).
Edinboro (27-4) was the only other PSAC team to finish in the top 25, finishing at No. 13. California (24-7) was the second team receiving votes.
The Crimson Hawks went 5-2 against top 25 schools during the season, including 4-1 against teams ranked in the final poll of the year.
