INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP women's basketball team moved to No. 1 in the Atlantic Region in the latest NCAA Division II regional rankings released Wednesday, positioning the Crimson Hawks for a key stretch of games as the regular season winds down.

IUP will host No. 2 regional seed Gannon on Saturday inside the Kovalchick Complex in a matchup featuring the top two teams in the region. The Crimson Hawks have been one of the top teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference this season and are off to their best start under fourth-year head coach Craig Carey.

Four PSAC programs appear among the region's top eight teams, with Seton Hill and Edinboro joining IUP in the rankings.

Before turning attention to Saturday's showdown, the Crimson Hawks face a key divisional matchup Wednesday night on the road against California (Pa.). IUP will look to snap a 12-game losing streak at Cal while also pursuing the PSAC West Division title.

A victory over the Vulcans would secure the division championship for the Crimson Hawks and continue their strong push toward the postseason.