The UAA women's basketball team continued climbing the national rankings today, voted the No. 3 Division II team in the nation.
By jumping one spot, the Seawolves soared to their highest ranking ever in the USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll.
Only two undefeated teams, No. 2 Washburn (Kan.) at 8-0 and top-ranked Northern Kentucky (7-0), sit between UAA and the top spot.
Northern Kentucky is the defending national champion and the team that dashed UAA's dreams in last year's national semifinals with a narrow 57-54 victory, a game in which Northern Kentucky's rugged defense limited UAA to 29 percent shooting.
UAA (9-1) is coming off back-to-back maulings of Mansfield of Pennsylvania. But the Seawolves have a stiff challenge ahead, with games Friday and Saturday at the Well Fargo Sports Complex against Cal State Stanislaus, a Division II team with a 6-1 record.
"I think this game gave confidence to our shooters," UAA coach Tim Moser said after Monday night's victory. "This weekend is huge for us -- the two biggest games of the year so far."
Seattle Pacific (5-1) was the only other Great Northwest Athletic Conference team in the top-25, voted No. 17.
By MIKE CAMPBELL mcampbell@adn.com