UNC Pembroke Cracks Top 5 to Headline Weekly Rankings Update
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Conference Carolinas continued to have 12 programs ranked across seven sports in the latest rankings update, with none bigger than UNC Pembroke men’s basketball who cracked the top five in a pair of national polls.
In the week 11 NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIDA) regular season media poll for men’s basketball UNC Pembroke climbed three more spots to No. 5 nationally with 328 points. In the Southeast Region poll, the Braves claimed the top spot in the region with 60 points and all six first-place votes while Emmanuel was ranked No. 9 with 10 points and Francis Marion received votes. The complete polls are available
here.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) also released its 11th regular season poll and UNC Pembroke, who is 22-1 on the season and 14-1 in league play, was also No. 5 with 330 points. The poll is available here.
In the 11th edition of the D2SIDA women’s basketball regular season poll, Belmont Abbey climbed five spots to No. 20 with 92 points. In the Southeast Region poll, The Abbey moved into a tie for second with Catawba with 42 points and one of five first-place votes. Francis Marion moved up two spots to No. 8 with 16 points and UNC Pembroke was ranked for the first time this season at No. 9 with seven points. The full poll is available here.
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) also released its 10th regular season poll and Belmont Abbey, who is 14-0 in league play and 17-3 overall, continued to receive votes in the poll which is available here.
Off the Block released the week four NCAA Division II coaches poll and North Greenville climbed two spots to No. 5 with 63 points while Mount Olive remained eighth with 31 points. King also received votes in the poll which is available here.
The updated Swimcloud Top-50 men’s dual rankings have Emmanuel 23rd with 690.90 points and Lees-McRae at No. 44 with 615.50 points. On the women’s side, Emmanuel was 36th with 618.30 points while UNC Pembroke was 45th with 602.45 points. The full rankings are available here.
On the track, the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released the first regional Track & Field Rating Index (TFRI) and on the women’s side five Conference Carolinas institutions found themselves inside the top-15 led by Mount Olive at No. 4 with 220.89 points. Southern Wesleyan was eighth with 133.67 points, UNC Pembroke was 10th with 102.92 points, Converse was 11th with 83.49 points and North Greenville was 14th with 71.43 points. Erskine was 16th with 54.51 points followed by Belmont Abbey (17th, 34.35), King (18th, 30.51), Lees-McRae (20th, 16.37), Emmanuel (23rd, 7.42) and Barton (25th, 0.95). On the men’s side, Mount Olive ranked fourth with 202.65 points, UNC Pembroke was ninth with 122.52 points and North Greenville was 10th with 118.17 points. Southern Wesleyan was 13th with 73.65 points followed by Emmanuel (15th, 48.53), Erskine (16th, 32.62), Belmont Abbey (18th, 24.95), Barton (20th, 18.85), King (21st, 15.75), Lees-McRae (22nd, 15.64) and Converse (24th, 12.10). The women’s rankings are available here while the men’s rankings are available
here.
Each week Conference Carolinas will provide a rankings update to highlight the institutions that are excelling in competition.