Kentucky Wesleyan, who leads the nation in wins with 28, moved up one spot to reach their highest ranking since 2003 at No. 3 in the weekly National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Top 25 men's basketball poll today.
The Panthers (28-3) will play Northern Kentucky (17-12) in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship semifinals on Saturday, March 6, at 6 p.m. CT on the campus of the University of Illinois-Springfield. Bellarmine will play Drury in the other semifinal at 8:30. The championship will be Sunday, March 7, at 3:30.
This marks the 306th time, a Division II record, KWC has been in the Top 25 since the ratings started in 1961.
Augusta State moved up from No. 3 to No. 1 and the only other GLVC teams in the poll were No. 11 Southern Indiana and No. 22 Drury.
NABC/Division II Coaches Poll (March 2, 2010)
1. Augusta State (4 first place votes) 25-2
2. Arkansas Tech (4 first place votes) 26-1
3. Kentucky Wesleyan 28-3
4. Central Missouri 25-2
5. Indiana (Pa.) 25-2
6. Midwestern State 25-2
7. Valdosta State 24-3
8. Minnesota State 24-3
9. Seattle Pacific 22-3
10. West Liberty 25-1
11. Southern Indiana 24-3
12. Florida Southern 24-3
13. Fort Hays State 22-5
14. Georgia College & State 22-4
15. Augustana (SD) 22-5
16. Stonehill 23-4
17. Rollins 22-5
18. West Virginia State 24-3
19. Bentley 22-5
20. Clark Atlanta 22-5
21. Western Washington 24-5
22. Drury 23-5
23. Mesa State 22-4
24. St. Cloud State 22-5
25. Central Oklahoma 22-5
Others receiving votes: Metropolitan State, Bellarmine (Ky.) 6, Mount Olive (N.C.) 5, St. Augustine's (N.C.) 5, East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 4, Kutztown (Pa.) 1.
Records are through games of Feb. 28, 2010.
