Ashland University's women's basketball team continues to climb up the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NCAA Division II Coaches Poll, moving up to No. 8 in the latest edition released on Tuesday (Feb. 11) afternoon.
The Eagles boast a current 16-game winning streak, and lead the Great Midwest Athletic Conference at 22-3 overall and 14-1 in the league, going into Thursday (Feb. 13) night's home game vs. Malone (18-4, 12-2) at 5:30 p.m. at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
Ashland has a D-II-best 24-game home winning streak, and its overall win streak ranks fourth-best in the nation.
Tuesday's ranking marks the 186
th time AU has been in the coaches poll Top 25, the 157
th time in the Top 10 and the 66
th straight poll as a Top 25 team. The Eagles are 349-23 (.938) all-time as a ranked team.
Through Monday (Feb. 10), the Eagles are No. 5 in the country in both scoring defense (50.1 ppg. allowed) and scoring margin (plus-20.4 ppg.), and tied for No. 8 in the nation in field-goal percentage (46.2).
Individually, senior forward
Hayley Smith is second in D-II in total rebounds (280), tied for fifth in double-doubles (13) and tied for eighth in rebounds per game (11.2), while senior guard
Morgan Yoder is seventh in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.34-to-1).
2024-25 ASHLAND UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WBCA COACHES POLL RANKINGS: No. 5 (preseason), No. 7 (Nov. 19), No. 14 (Nov. 26), No. 10 (Dec. 3), No. 20 (Dec. 10), No. 21 (Dec. 17), No. 19 (Dec. 31), No. 15 (Jan. 7), No. 14 (Jan. 14), No. 12 (Jan. 21), No. 11 (Jan. 28), No. 10 (Feb. 4), No. 8 (Feb. 11).
