Shaw Lady Bears Basketball finishes 10th in Final Division II Poll
March 28, 2006
Raleigh, NC – The final NCAA Division II ESPN/USA Today/WBCA National Poll was released this afternoon and the Shaw University Lady Bears are ranked 10th. This marked the fourth straight year SU has finished the season ranked among the Top 25 in the country.
The Lady Bears finished the 2005-06 campaign with an impressive 29-5 won-lost record winning a CIAA record fourth consecutive tournament title and their second consecutive NCAA Division II South Atlantic Region Championship. “This is our 4th year finishing in the Top 25 and I want to commend our seniors for keeping the program in the national spotlight,” stated SU head coach Jacques Curtis.
“This group definitely took their game to another level to maintain our programs goal of being a consistent national power.” Curtis continued.
Over the past four years the Lady Bears have finished 10th in 2006, 3rd in 2005, 14th in 2004 and 15th in 2003. Over and above those facts, SU has finished as the #1 team in the NCAA South Atlantic Region the past four seasons. SU ended the season with a disappointing 78-71 lose to St. Cloud State in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight held at the Summit Arena in Hot Spring, Arkansas.
Final Poll: March 28, 2006
USA TODAY ESPN Top 25 women's basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, last weeks rank, current record and total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th.
| Rank | Institution (First Place Votes) | Last Week's Rank | Record | Points |
| 1. | Grand Valley State University (Mich.) - 19 | 10 | 33-3 | 491 |
| 2. | American International College (Mass.) | NR | 26-8 | 451 |
| 3. | Saint Cloud State University (Minn.) | 12 | 29-5 | 410 |
| 4. | California State University - Chico | 14 | 28-4 | 408 |
| 5. | Emporia State University (Kan.) | 8 | 28-5 | 403 |
| 6. | University Of Charleston (W.Va.) | 3 | 31-3 | 396 |
| 7. | Washburn University (Kan.) - 2 | 1 | 31-1 | 363 |
| 8. | University of North Dakota | 2 | 33-1 | 349 |
| 9. | Henderson State University (Ark.) | 13 | 29-5 | 347 |
| 10. | Shaw University (N.C.) | 20 | 29-5 | 341 |
| 11. | Drury University (Mo.) | 5 | 30-3 | 319 |
| 12. | Delta State University (Miss.) | 7 | 30-3 | 277 |
| 13. | Glenville State College (W.Va.) | 6 | 30-3 | 257 |
| 14. | Southern Conn. St. University | 16 | 29-4 | 224 |
| 15. | Western Washington University | 4 | 27-2 | 192 |
| 16. | West Texas A&M University | 15 | 28-4 | 156 |
| 17. | California State University - Bakersfield | 18 | 24-5 | 150 |
| 18. | Florida Gulf Coast University | 11 | 29-2 | 148 |
| 19. | Northern Kentucky University | 21 | 27-5 | 123 |
| 20. | Rollins College (Fla.) | 9 | 28-2 | 108 |
| 21. | Wingate University (N.C.) | NR | 25-7 | 108 |
| 22. | Seattle Pacific University (Wash.) | NR | 24-6 | 94 |
| 23. | Fort Valley State University (Ga.) | 17 | 28-3 | 69 |
| 24. | Stonehill College (Mass.) | 25 | 24-7 | 59 |
| 25. | Wayne State College (Neb.) | 19 | 27-4 | 59 |
