Pride maintain No. 8 ranking in latest NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll

Pride maintain No. 8 ranking in latest NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll
January 25, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the fourth time during the 2022-23 season, the Clarke University women's basketball team sits at the No. 8 spot in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll as the NAIA released their latest rankings Wednesday morning.

The Pride entered the season ranked No. 8 in the preseason poll and have held steady at that spot since returning to that spot on Dec. 14 from being ranked as high as No. 5 during the early portion of the season.

Currently on an 11-game win streak, CU currently sits at an 18-2 overall record and a 12-2 record in the Heart of America Athletic Conference with their only two defeats coming on the road in conference play against current No. 2 ranked Central Methodist University and MidAmerica Nazarene University.

During conference play, Clarke has been as they've consistently held their opponents under the 65-point mark outside of their most recent win on the road at Grand View with the Pride currently ranking in the top-20 in the NAIA in opponents' field goal shooting percentage (35.1%) and opponents' point per game (57.3).

During their 11-game winning streak, the Pride have seen a few individual milestones be hit as senior center Emma Kelchen recently passed the 1,000-point mark in her career and senior guard Skylar Culbertson became just the third player in program history to record 400 career assists.

Culbertson is averaging career bests in points, rebounds, and assists with all three categories over five per game as Kelchen is one of four players averaging over 11 points per game for the Pride at 11.1 as that list also includes leading scorer Tina Ubl at 12.4 points per game as well as both Nicole McDermott and Taylor Haase at 11.2 points per game.

The No. 2 ranked Eagles sit atop the Heart standings with an undefeated record of 19-0 overall and 13-0 in the Heart with the Pride holding sole possession of second place and a rematch in Dubuque scheduled for Feb. 4 in the Kehl Center. The only other unbeaten team in the NAIA Top 25 is No. 1 ranked Thomas More University, who has been at the top of the rankings all season as the defending NAIA Tournament champions.

Clarke women's basketball will be at home tonight to host Mount Mercy University in the Kehl Center for a 5:30 p.m. CT tip.