Pride women's basketball moves further up the NAIA Coaches Poll at No. 12

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -  Beginning their conference schedule undefeated through seven games, the Clarke University women's basketball team has risen up the NAIA Coaches Top-25 Poll as the newest poll places the Pride at No. 12.

The move cotinues the steady climb up the rankings after opening the season ranked No. 19 in the preseason poll, CU has also ranked No. 18, 17, and 15 in the three previous in-season polls.

With the latest move, this puts Clarke as the highest ranked Heart of America Athletic Conference team in the women's basketball poll, as they jumped Central Methodist University who is slotted right behind the Pride at No. 13 in Wednesday's poll. That will set up a 12 vs. 13 matchup in the Kehl Center between the Pride and Eagles on Saturday Jan. 22 when Central Methodist travels to Dubuque for the only regular season meeting between the two ranked teams.

With their 16-2 overall record, CU holds wins over four different teams included in the rankings in No. 21 Dakota State, No. 23 Saint Xavier, as well as teams receiving votes in Grand View and St. Francis. Their two losses are to teams still currently ranked ahead of them in the poll in No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan and No. 9 Wayland Baptist.

At this point in the season, the Pride tout five players scoring in double figures for their season averages led by Emma Kelchen's 12.7 points per game with Nicole McDermott (11.8), Taylor Haase (11.3), Giana Michels (10.9), and Tina Ubl (10.0) at or over 10 points per game. Ubl produced her best offensive game of the season with a 22-point performance in their eight-point win over MidAmerica Nazarene last Saturday, her highest point total since her sophomore season.

Clarke will host William Penn University tonight at 5:30 p.m. CT then will hit the road to face Missouri Valley College on Saturday before returning home for two home games next week against Graceland and Central Methodist.