Gold Nuggets move up to 24th in NAIA coaches poll

NEW ORLEANS -- For the first time in four weeks, Xavier University of Louisiana climbed in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Gold Nuggets are 24th, up one place from a week ago.

Xavier (20-9) is in the top 25 for the seventh consecutive week and the 52nd time in the last 55 polls. The Gold Nuggets won 63-56 at Dillard in their regular-season finale on Saturday and will return to Dillard to play the Lady Bleu Devils at 5 p.m. Friday in the quarterfinals of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. Xavier is seeded second in the nine-team event, which will begin Thursday.

Talladega, seeded first in the GCAC Tournament, climbed two places to 16th in the national poll. It's the first time in five weeks that the Lady Tornadoes climbed, and it's their highest ranking since Jan. 28, when they were 11th.

Vanguard, the lone unbeaten team in the division, is No. 1 for the 11th time in as many polls this season. Vanguard received all 10 first-place votes for the third consecutive week.

New rankings will be announced March 12. They'll be the final rankings before the national tournament, which will begin March 19 in Frankfort, Ky.

The top 25:

1. Vanguard
2. Freed-Hardeman
3. Westminster (Utah)
4. Campbellsville
5. Oklahoma City
6. Oklahoma Baptist
7. The Master's
8. Our Lady of the Lake
9. Georgetown (Ky.)
10. Wiley
11. (tie) Columbia (Mo.)
11. (tie) Westmont
13. Baker
14. MidAmerica Nazarene
15. Lewis-Clark State
16. Talladega
17. Hope International
18. (tie) Lyon
18. (tie) Wayland Baptist
20. John Brown
21. Montana State-Northern
22. Cumberlands
23. Bethel (Tenn.)
24. Xavier
25. Shawnee State

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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