SIOUX FALLS (USF PR) — The University of Sioux Falls Women’s Basketball team has moved up movement in each of the polls and rankings released this week. The Cougars (17-2, 10-2 NSIC) are atop the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) South Division, and only a game behind Minnesota Duluth for the top spot in the NSIC.
Of the national polls, the Cougars moved ahead three spots in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) poll released on Tuesday. USF now sits at No. 11 in the nation, and the second highest ranked of any Central Region team (Fort Hays State, 10th).
The Cougars received 322 points in Tuesday’s poll, and currently has a win over a current Top 10 squad, beating No. 8 Hawai’i Pacific over Thanksgiving break on the Sharks’ home court. USF has been ranked 11th or higher in three polls, and the seventh consecutive wee the Cougars have been ranked.
In the D2SIDA National Poll, USF made its way back into the Top 10 for the first time since Dec. 10, earning 276 points to move up four spots to No. 8. This is the second time the Cougars have reached No. 8 in the D2SIDA poll, the highest ranking for USF in the poll, and the sixth time this season the Cougars have been ranked.
For regional rankings, the Cougars maintained their No. 1 spot in the D2SIDA Central Region Poll, but had an increase in overall points, collecting all six possible first-place votes.
The final rankings the Cougars earned mentioning was in Turner Sports’ Wayne Cavadi’s Power 10 rankings, with Cavadi noting that USF was the first team left out of the rankings. Cavadi had this to say of the Cougars.
“Sioux Falls was the first out and has as strong a case as any to be in the top 10. If any of the top 10 slips and Sioux Falls keeps reeling off wins, they’ll be back.”
The Cougars will be back in action at the Stewart Center this weekend when a surging Upper Iowa and lethal Winona State come to town on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
KWSN (98.1 FM, 1230-AM) and KWSN.COM will carry the games starting at 5:15 on Friday and 3:10 on Saturday.
