Bentley Ranked #3 in Final USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II Poll; All-Tournament Honors for Brugliera
WALTHAM, Mass. – After reaching the semifinals last week at the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, Bentley University is ranked third in the final USA Today/ESPN Division II coaches' poll of the season, released today by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Bentley, which finished the 2011-12 campaign with a stellar 31-4 record, trailed only the two teams that played in the national championship game in the balloting, number one Shaw University (N.C.) and number two Ashland University (Ohio).
Shaw garnered 26 first place votes and 695 points, Ashland followed with two and 673, and Bentley received 629 points. Rounding out the top five were Wayne State College (Neb.) and Rollins College (Fla.), with 580 and 578, respectively.
Number three marks the second highest ranking that coach Barbara Stevens' program has finished a season with in the 17 years that the WBCA has been conducting the poll. The 2003 team was second in the final poll, and Bentley was fourth in both 1997 and 1998.
Bentley sophomore forward Jacqui Brugliera (Fitchburg/Wachusett Reg. HS) was selected for the All-Tournament Team at the Elite Eight. The third-team All-Northeast-10 honoree shared team-high scoring honors in the Falcons' semifinal loss to Ashland, finishing with 16 points along with four rebounds.
Brugliera finished the season with averages of 11 points and six rebounds.
USA TODAY ESPN DIVISION II TOP 25 COACHES' POLL
USA TODAY ESPN Division II Top 25 women's basketball poll, with first-place votes to the right, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th.
|
Rank |
Institution - First Place Votes |
Previous Rank |
Record |
Points |
|
1 |
Shaw University (N.C.) -26 |
NR |
29-6 |
695 |
|
2 |
Ashland University (Ohio) -2 |
2 |
33-2 |
673 |
|
3 |
Bentley University (Mass.) |
5 |
31-4 |
629 |
|
4 |
Wayne State College (Neb.) |
1 |
32-3 |
580 |
|
5 |
Rollins College (Fla.) |
15 |
28-6 |
578 |
|
6 |
Pittsburg State University (Kan.) |
14 |
27-6 |
517 |
|
7 |
University of Alaska - Anchorage |
8 |
30-5 |
510 |
|
8 |
Lander University (S.C.) |
24 |
24-8 |
440 |
|
9 |
Edinboro University (Pa.) |
3 |
30-2 |
436 |
|
10 |
University of California - San Diego |
4 |
30-3 |
424 |
|
11 |
Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colo.) |
10 |
27-4 |
392 |
|
12 |
University of South Carolina - Aiken |
7 |
27-4 |
374 |
|
13 |
Clayton State University (Ga.) |
6 |
29-4 |
362 |
|
14 |
Washburn University (Kan.) |
9 |
29-5 |
290 |
|
15 |
University of Wisconsin - Parkside |
17 |
24-6 |
271 |
|
16 |
Northeastern State University (Okla.) |
11 |
25-5 |
266 |
|
17 |
Fort Lewis College (Colo.) |
12 |
26-5 |
254 |
|
18 |
Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) |
13 |
24-4 |
191 |
|
19 |
Emporia State University (Kan.) |
23 |
23-9 |
181 |
|
20 |
Wingate University (N.C.) |
NR |
24-8 |
136 |
|
21 |
Gannon University (Pa.) |
22 |
22-7 |
114 |
|
22 |
Florida Southern College |
19 |
24-7 |
105 |
|
23 |
Arkansas Tech University |
16 |
22-4 |
97 |
|
T24 |
Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
21 |
23-7 |
85 |
|
T24 |
Southern Connecticut State University |
18 |
25-6 |
85 |
