Cal (Pa.) women's basketball No. 9 in latest national poll; IUP moves up to No. 15
The Cal (Pa.) women’s basketball team has moved into the top 10 of the latest Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 Coaches’ Poll released Tuesday afternoon.
The Vulcans, 7-0 overall and 2-0 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, ticked up four spots to No. 9. They have been featured in the top 10 of the national poll in each of the past five seasons.
Cal is tied with Lee (Tenn.) for the most wins in NCAA Division II.
The Vulcans kicked off PSAC play Saturday with a 79-56 victory over Lock Haven. Five players scored in double figures, led by 13 points from Hempfield graduate Monica Burns.
On Sunday, Cal forced 36 turnovers and rolled past conference foe Mansfield, 70-42. Five players scored at least eight points, and no one had more than 11 in the balanced attack.
Cal is one of two PSAC teams in the top 25. IUP (5-1), with wins last week over Pitt-Bradford and PSAC foes Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg, is No. 15.
The Crimson Hawks, led by the scoring of Bethel Park graduate Justina Mascaro (13.8 ppg.), Burrell grad Natalie Myers (12.7) and Vincentian grad Lexi Griggs (12.3), are in the top 25 for the 38th consecutive week dating to the final poll of the 2016-17 season.
Cal is back in action Dec. 7 when it travels to Shippensburg for a PSAC contest. IUP visits Salem (W.Va.) in nonconference play Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
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