UAA women 6th, men 7th in regional poll

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Feb. 23) – The Alaska Anchorage women’s basketball team fell to No. 6 while the Seawolf men remained No. 7 in the latest Division II regional rankings, released Wednesday by the NCAA.

Today’s rankings take into account only games played through Sunday, so last night’s UAA men’s victory at Alaska Fairbanks is not reflected in the current poll.

 

The Great Northwest Athletic Conference holds four of the top 10 places in the men’s rankings with No. 1 Central Washington, No. 7 UAA, No. 8 Seattle Pacific and No. 10 Western Washington. The Seawolves (20-8 overall, 14-7 vs. D-II) remained seventh after splitting road games at Saint Martin’s (60-54 loss) and Western Oregon (88-83 win) last week.

 

On the women’s side, the GNAC holds three of the top eight places, with Western Washington ascending to No. 1, UAA (22-6, 21-5) at No. 6, and Seattle Pacific at No. 8. UAA fell two spots this week after splitting road games at WWU (67-57 loss) and Simon Fraser (55-36 win). Grand Canyon (No. 3) and Dixie State (No. 5) leapfrogged the Seawolves despite having both lost to UAA earlier in the season, while previously top-ranked Cal Poly Pomona fell to No. 4.

 

Only the regional rankings matter in terms of making the NCAA Tournament. The top eight teams in D-II’s eight regions qualify for their respective regional tournaments, which are generally hosted by the top seed. There will be one more regional poll before the NCAA fields are announced on Sunday, Mar. 6.

 

The winners of the GNAC and California Collegiate Athletic Conference tournaments, along with the regular-season Pacific West Conference champions, will receive automatic bids to the NCAA West Regional tournaments, which begin Mar. 11.

 

Both Seawolf teams are at home to close the regular season this week, with the men facing Alaska Fairbanks tonight (Fox Sports Northwest, 6:30 p.m. AST) and the nationally 19th-ranked women hosting UAF on Thursday (7 p.m.). Both UAA teams have clinched first-round home games for the inaugural GNAC Tournament, which begins Feb. 28.

 

NCAA Div. II West Region Women’s Basketball Rankings
Feb. 23, 2011

  Rk   Team                                    vs DII      vs West          Conf.

   1.   Western Washington               22-1           20-1       GNAC

   2.   Cal State Monterey Bay          22-2           22-2       CCAA

   3.   Grand Canyon                        21-2           16-2         PWC

   4.   Cal Poly Pomona                    20-2           20-2       CCAA

   5.   Dixie State                              17-2           16-2         PWC

   6.   Alaska Anchorage                21-5           21-4       GNAC

   7.   Cal State San Bernardino        16-5           16-5       CCAA

   8.   Seattle Pacific                         17-7           16-7       GNAC

   9.   UC San Diego                        18-9           18-8       CCAA

10.   Hawaii Pacific                         15-6           12-6         PWC

 

NCAA Div. II West Region Men’s Basketball Rankings
Feb. 23, 2011

  Rk   Team                                    vs DII      vs West          Conf.

   1.   Central Washington                 19-3           19-2       GNAC

   2.   Humboldt State                       19-2           19-2       CCAA

   3.   Cal State Dominguez Hills       19-4           17-4       CCAA

   4.   Chaminade                              15-5           15-4         PWC

   5.   Dixie State                              14-5           14-4         PWC

   6.   Brigham Young-Hawaii           15-4           13-4         PWC

   7.   Alaska Anchorage                14-7           13-6       GNAC

   8.   Seattle Pacific                         16-8           16-8       GNAC

   9.   San Francisco State                15-7           15-7       CCAA

10.   Western Washington               13-8           13-7       GNAC

 

 

 

 

Nate Sagan
Sports Information Director

University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr. / Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1295 / Fax: (907) 563-4565
GoSeawolves.com