SPU Climbs to No. 6 in USA Today/ESPN/WBCA National Basketball Poll
December 4, 2002

SEATTLE (Dec. 4) - Matching its highest ranking ever, Seattle Pacific University climbed to No. 6 in this week's USA Today/ESPN/WBCA women's basketball poll for NCAA Division II.

The Falcons (5-0) moved up nine spots after being 15th in the preseason poll. It marks the highest ranking since finishing the season at No. 6 in 1998.

Seattle Pacific opens Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Thursday night at Humboldt State (2-2) in Arcata, Ca. Western Washington is the only other GNAC team in the top 25. The Vikings dropped one spot to No. 11.

USA Today/ESPN/WBCA National Basketball Poll
1. Missouri Western (11) 559
2. North Dakota 534
3. South Dakota State (10) 502
4. Cal Poly Pomona (1) 477
5. Cal State Bakersfield (1) 459
6. Seattle Pacific 437
7. Arkansas Tech 393
8. Northern Kentucky 338
9. (t) North Dakota State 322 9.
    (t) Central Arkansas 322
11. Western Washington 299
12. California (Pa.) 276
13. Mesa State (Co.) 262
14. Southeastern Oklahoma St. 254
15. Bentley College (Ma.) 211
16. Glenville State (WV) 192
17. Saint Mary's (Tx.) 175
18. American International (Ma.) 174
19. Adelphi (NY) 149
20. Florida Tech 137
21 Lake Superior State (Mi.) 121
22 Southwest State (Mn.) 111
23. South Carolina - Aiken 100
24 Bellarmine University (Ky.) 63
25. Delta State (Ms.) 57
First-place votes in parentheses, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th.