February 20, 2004

Vulcan Women's Basketball

Cal U basketball programs continue to get national recognition

The California University basketball teams continue to receive national recognition in the polls as the Vulcan women stay atop the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA coaches’ poll and the Vulcan men moved up to the 21st spot in the NABC/Division II Bulletin coaches’ national rankings.

The Cal U women, 24-0 overall and 9-0 in the PSAC-West have been at the number one position in the country since January as they wrap-up the regular season and prepare for the playoffs.

Cal will travel to Shippensburg this weekend, play at Slippery Rock next Wednesday and then finish regular play on Saturday, February 28 when they host Edinboro.

The women are assured of a first round play in game in the PSAC championships on March 2 and with a win in that game will host the conference championships they following weekend (March 5 and 6).
The winner of the conference championship gets an automatic bid to the NCAA East regional playoffs with the winner of the regional getting a bid to the Division II Elite Eight national tournament. (The women’s state championships will be played at the highest remaining seed in the PSAC-West this season.)

The Vulcans remain in the top spot in the lastest East Regional rankings, and have been there for the past three weeks. They are a favorite to host the regional tournament the second full week in March.

Coach Vincent’s Vulcans have a 48-game home winning streak and have won 46 consecutive games against conference opponents. Under Coach Vincent the Vulcans have a 101-18 record with consecutive PSAC-West and PSAC state championship titles.

Last season the Vulcans won the East Regional and played in the national semifinal game at the Elite Eight tournament in St. Joseph’s, Missouri, the site of this year’s tournament as well.

The Vulcan men moved up two spots in the national rankings to twenty-first in the country. The Cal men’s team is 19-5 overall and 8-1 in PSAC-West play and tied with Edinboro for the top spot in the division.

The men also play at Shipp this weekend and then play at Slippery Rock next Wednesday before hosting Edinboro in the regular season finale at Hamer Gym on Feb. 28.

The Vulcan men are also hoping to host a play in game on March 2 before heading to the highest remaining seed in the PSAC-East for the men’s state championship. Cheyney and Mansfield and the top teams in the east.

The Vulcan men are also undefeated at home this season (13-0) and were ranked third in the East Region this week behind Pfeiffer University (NC) and WV State. Pfeiffer is currently fourth in the national poll and look like the best bet to host the men’s regional tournament in mid-March.

The Vulcans played in last season’s conference championship game and also participated in the NCAA regional tournament hosted by Queen’s College in North Carolina.

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