Tuesday, February 17, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Alaska Anchorage women’s basketball team reached another milestone in its already successful season as the team moved up to No. 1 in the WBCA/USA TODAY Coaches and D2SIDA Top 25 polls Tuesday.

The Seawolves (23-1, 13-1 GNAC) jumped to No. 1 from the third spot after the top two teams lost last week. UAA received 15 of the 30 first place votes, with former No. 1, Lewis (Ill.), receiving 14.

This is the first time since Feb. 17, 2009 that the Seawolves have been the top-ranked team in the nation.

UAA reached the NCAA Final Four back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009 after a pair of 30-win seasons.  This year, head coach Ryan McCarthy has the Seawolves approaching the 30-win mark again.

They rank in the top five nationally in steals, scoring offense, scoring margin, rebound margin, steals, turnover margin, offensive rebounds and won-loss percentage while being one of only five teams with 23 wins.

UAA this season has beaten Division I teams in Yale and Utah this year and has been ranked in the top spot in the D2SIDA West Region for nine of 13 weeks, including six straight.

The Seawolves are also only two wins away from clinching their third regular season title in conference history.

UAA should rank near or at the top of the first official NCAA West Region poll that will be released Wednesday. The poll decides the five West Region at-large teams that will make the NCAA tournament along with the GNAC, PacWest and California Collegiate Athletic Association champions.

The Seawolves travel to Simon Fraser and Western Washington this week in their last regular season road trip of the season.