Tuesday, March 2, 2010

MORAVIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM MOVES UP TO 8TH IN LATEST D3HOOPS.COM TOP 25 POLL

MINNEAPOLIS, MN --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team, which is 25-2 overall, moved up one spot to eighth in the nation in the 13th D3hoop.com Top 25 Poll of the season announced Tuesday.  The complete poll can be viewed at http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/.

The Greyhounds, under the direction of 23-year head coach Mary Beth Spirk, were ranked ninth in the last two polls, tenth in the tenth poll, 12th in week nine, 13th in week eight, 14th in week seven, 16th in week six, 18th in week five, 19th in week four, 17th in the third poll, 12th in the second poll and 23rd in the first regular season poll after being 15th in the preseason poll.  Moravian received a season high 442 points this week after 410 points last week, 389 points in week 11, 355 points in the tenth poll, 343 points in week nine, 295 points in the eighth poll, 292 points in week seven, 253 points in week six, 198 points in week five, 184 points in the fourth poll, 149 points in week three, 313 points in week two and 107 points in the first poll. 

Moravian’s eighth place ranking is the highest for the Greyhounds in the D3hoops.com era that began in 1999-2000.  Moravian’s previous highest ranking was 12th in the second week of the 2005-06 season when the Greyhounds started the season 7-0, and matched last week. 

Amherst College remained in the top spot this week with 617 total points and 21 first-place votes while Kean University is second with 595 points and three first place votes.  Illinois Wesleyan University is third and received the final first place vote and 571 points while Hope College is fourth with 554 points.

Moravian defeated now 18th-ranked The University of Scranton, 73-63, on December 5th when Scranton was fourth in the nation, and the Greyhounds defeated Scranton, 77-60, on February 20th when the Royals were ranked 13th.  Moravian defeated a 15th-ranked Scranton squad, 66-49, last Saturday to win the 2010 Landmark Conference Championship.  The Greyhounds dropped an 84-71 decision to now receiving votes Muhlenberg College on December 7th when Muhlenberg was ranked 16th.

Moravian will return to action on Friday, March 5th in an NCAA Division III National Championship First Round game versus Utica (NY) College tipping off at 7:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.

The D3hoops.com Top 25 poll is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country, and is published weekly.  The next poll will be after the national championship game that is scheduled for Saturday, March 20th.