Lady Blues ranked No. 1 in newest WBCA Coaches Poll
Dec. 5, 2006

TOPEKA, Kan. - The Washburn Lady Blues moved up from No. 2 to No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll that was released today. The No. 1 Washburn Lady Blues (5-0, 0-0 MIAA) will open the 2006-07 MIAA schedule with the No. 24 ranked Missouri Western State University Griffons (5-0, 0-0 MIAA) on Saturday night in Lee Arena at 5:30 p.m. Washburn was voted the top team in the country by the voters in the WBCA/ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Western jumped from No. 25 to No. 24 in this week’s poll. Washburn spent the entire season at No. 1 in the 2005-06 national poll before falling the South Central Regional final in overtime to Emporia State, who fell from No. 1 to No. 3 in the poll this week after falling at Metro State.

Week 2 Poll: December 5, 2006

USA TODAY ESPN Top 25 women's basketball poll, with first-place votes noted to the side, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th.

1. Washburn University (Kan.) - 17 2 4-0 658
2. Henderson State University (Ark.) - 1 4 7-0 620
3. Emporia State University (Kan.) - 4 1 4-1 591
4. Grand Valley State University (Mich.) - 2 3 6-1 583
5. University of North Dakota - 2 5 8-1 567
6. Glenville State College (W. Va.) 7 5-0 546
7. Southern Connecticut State University 9 5-0 507
8. California State University, Chico 6 3-1 461
9. West Texas A&M University 11 7-1 434
10. Florida Gulf Coast University - 1 13 9-0 404
11. Delta State University (Miss.) 12 6-1 391
12. Northern Kentucky University   10 3-1 357
13. Wingate University (N.C.) 14 7-1 341
14. Western Washington University 15 3-1 252
15. Stonehill College (Mass.) 16 6-1 225
16. American International College (Mass.) 17 5-2 214
17. Seattle Pacific University (Wash.) 19 4-1 185
18. Northern State University (S.D.) 22 7-1 179
19. Fort Valley State University (Ga.) 20 5-1 175
20. Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colo.) NR 5-1 171
21. Clayton State University (Ga.) 23 5-0 157
22. University Of California-San Diego   18 2-1 146
23. Saint Cloud State University (Minn.) 8 4-3 143
24. Missouri Western State 25 5-0 141
25. College Of Saint Rose (N.Y.) NR 6-0 79

Others Receiving Votes: Wayne State College (Neb.) - 52; Bellarmine University (Ky.) - 37; Lewis University (Ill.) - 30; Drury University (Mo.) - 29; Angelo State University (Texas) - 28; Southern Illinois University Edwardsville - 16; Holy Family University (Penn.) - 10; Regis University (Colo.) - 9; University Of South Dakota - 9; Catawba College (N.C.) - 6; Augustana College (S.D.) - 4; Michigan Technological University - 4; Rollins College (Fla.) 3; Shaw University (N.C.) - 3; Central Washington University - 2; Elizabeth City State University (N.C.) - 2; University Of Nebraska - Kearney - 2; California State University, Dominguez Hills - 1; Franklin Pierce College (N.H.) –1.

The USA Today ESPN Board of Coaches is made up of 28 head coaches at Division II institutions. All are members of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The 2006-07 board: Antonio Davis (St. Augustine College), Barbara Stevens (Bentley College), Brandon Schneider (Emporia State University), Denny Downing (Texas A&M University-Commerce), Gary Brown (Bluefield State College), Greg Bruce (Western Oregon Univ.), Jamie Pewinski (Lake Superior State), Jay Sparks (Columbus State), Jerry Olson (Oklahoma Panhandle State University), Jessica Smith (Univ. of New Haven), Joddie Gleason (Humboldt State University), Joe Frager (Southern Connecticut State), John Barnes (Michigan Tech), Katherine Pate (Belmont Abbey College), Kip Drown (CSU Pueblo), Kristin Trn (Shippensburg University), Linda Raunig (Regis University), Linden Weese (Eastern New Mexico), Lynn Plett (Lewis University), Michael McLaughlin (Holy Family Univers ity), Paul Fessler (Concordia University, St. Pauls), Sandra Rushing(Delta State University), Shannan Bergen (University of West Florida), Sherri Harris (Stillman College), Sherry Winn (University of Charleston), Tom Andersen (Chadron State College), Valecia Tedder (Francis Marion University), Vanessa Taylor (Johnson C. Smith University).