Tuesday, February 7, 2006

MORAVIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM FALLS SIX SPOTS TO 25TH IN
NINTH USA TODAY/ESPN DIVISION III TOP 25 COACHES’ POLL

LILBURN, GA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team, which is off to a 17-4 start, dropped six spots to 25th in the nation in the ninth USA Today/ESPN Division III Top 25 Coaches’ Poll announced Tuesday by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The complete poll can be viewed at http://www.wbca.org/DIIICoachesPoll.asp.

The Greyhounds, under the direction of 19-year head coach Mary Beth Spirk, received votes in the coaches’ preseason poll but were not ranked in the Top 25 before debuting at 21st in the first regular season poll and moving up to 18th in the second poll. The Greyhounds dropped one spot to 19th in the third poll before moving back up to 18th in the fourth poll. Moravian reached the 15th place four weeks ago before falling to 16th three weeks ago and 24th two weeks ago. The Greyhounds, who received 23 points in the poll, were 19th last week. Moravian has won 17 of its first 21 games of the year by an average of 11.3 points, and the team has begun its 2005-06 Commonwealth Conference season with an 8-2 mark.

The University of Southern Maine is the top team in the poll by receiving six first place votes and 197 points while the University of Scranton is second with 188 points.

Moravian suffered a 67-62 loss to Scranton on December 7th in Johnston Hall. The Greyhounds defeated 15th-ranked Messiah College, 67-63, in Johnston Hall on January 25th, and the two squads will square off again in Grantham on February 11th. Moravian dropped in the poll this week after falling to rival Muhlenberg College, which debuted in the poll at 23rd this week, 66-59, last Thursday.

Moravian will return to action in a Commonwealth Conference game versus Lebanon Valley College on Wednesday, February 8th in Johnston Hall at 8:00 p.m. The Greyhounds have already clinched their fifth straight Commonwealth Conference Tournament berth.