Women Remain First in West, 2nd in Nation; Men 6th in West
January 22, 2003

SEATTLE (Jan. 29) -- Seattle Pacific University remains the team to beat among the West Region of women's basketball. The unbeaten Falcons remained No. 1 in the regional rankings and No. 2 in the NCAA Division II poll released Wednesday.

The Falcons (16-0) host Alaska Anchorage Thursday at 5:30. They are off to their best start and have won 26 straight at home over two-plus seasons.

The top team in the region will earn the right to host the eight-team regional tournament beginning Mar. 14. SPU last hosted the playoffs in 1998.

Seattle Pacific remained entrenched at No. 2 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll. South Dakota State (18-0), the nation's only other undefeated team, is No. 1 and received all 24 first-place votes. Cal State Bakersfield is No. 9 and Western Washington No. 20.

In the men's regional rankings, the Falcons slipped from No. 6 to No. 10 following last Saturday's loss to Humboldt State, the top team in the region. SPU hosts Seattle University, the No. 6 team in the West, Thursday at 7:30.

NCAA Regional Rankings
Women:
1. Seattle Pacific (16-0); 2. Cal State Bakersfield (14-1); 3. Montana State-Billings (14-4); 4. Western Washington (12-3); 5. UC Davis (10-5); 6. Cal State San Bernardino (10-5); 7. Sonoma State (10-5); 8. Northwest Nazarene (10-5); 9. Cal State Stanislaus (9-6); 10. Central Washington (8-6).
Men:
1. Humboldt State (15-1); 2. Cal State San Bernardino (11-4); 3. Hawaii-Hilo (12-5); 4. Brigham Young-Hawaii (10-2); 5. Cal State Bakersfield (12-3); 6. Seattle (12-4); 7. Western Washington (10-6); 8. Cal Poly Pomona (11-4); 9. Alaska Fairbanks (12-4); 10. Seattle Pacific (9-7).

USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll