INDIANA, Pa. -- Thanks to Emporia State's win over Northwest Missouri State on Dec. 17, a new top-ranked team has emerged in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)/Division II poll as IUP has taken the top spot for the first time since the start of the 1995-96 season.
The Crimson Hawks won both of their games over the final weekend prior to the NCAA winter break to improve to 10-0 on the campaign. Northwest's loss also allowed Nova Southeastern to move up to No. 2 and Black Hills to the third spot. A second top-five team also lost in the last weekend of play when then-No. 4 West Liberty fell to Lubbock Christian in Las Vegas, bringing two new teams into the top five in Hillsdale and Missouri-St. Louis as both schools reached their highest ranking ever in the coaches' poll.
Northwest Missouri State dropped five spots to No. 6 as play resumes around the country this week.
The Crimson Hawks were also ranked first in the latest D2SIDA rankings, released on December 21.
IUP returns to the floor on Friday, December 30 at Millersville for a 5:00 p.m. tipoff.
*The NABC contributed to this story.
