On the rise: Eagle women climb in NJCAA, FCSAA polls
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (January 8, 2015) – A win over previously undefeated Northwest Florida State College paid dividends on Tuesday and Wednesday as Tallahassee Community College made jumps in both major women’s basketball polls.
Within the state, Tallahassee climbed into a tie with Northwest Florida State for the No. 2 ranking in the FCSAA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll. Nationally, the Eagles moved up three spots to No. 11 in the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Poll.
With Panhandle Conference play underway, and four PC teams in the nation’s top 13, poll position will take on added significance for the next month and a half as teams jockey to get into the conversation for an at-large berth in the NJCAA Tournament. The Eagles, at 17-3, are now the third-highest ranked team from Region 8, behind No. 1 Chipola College and No. 5 Northwest Florida State, who slipped one spot after the loss.
Gulf Coast State College is just two spots behind Tallahassee at No. 13 and a fifth Region 8 school, Florida State College at Jacksonville, is ranked 16th.
Tallahassee continues its rugged Panhandle Conference schedule with a home date against Gulf Coast State on Saturday a trip to Chipola next Tuesday.
In the FCSAA poll, those same five teams occupy the top half of the poll, and in the same order – Chipola, Northwest Florida State and Tallahassee, who tied for second, Gulf Coast State and Florida State College at Jacksonville.
The College of Central Florida leads the second five followed by Eastern Florida State College, Daytona State College and Santa Fe College.
In the men’s rankings, Tallahassee slipped one spot to No. 4 in the FCSAA Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll and fell out of the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Poll following a 2-2 record in four games since the last poll was released December 16.
Northwest Florida State and Eastern Florida State continue to be ranked 1-2 in the state. St. Petersburg College, who defeated Tallahassee on December 17, jumped to No. 3, while Broward College, who entered the NJCAA poll at No. 25, slipped one spot to No. 5.
The second five consists of Gulf Coast State, Palm Beach State College, Daytona State, Pensacola State College and Polk State College.
Tallahassee swept Pensacola State in Panhandle Conference play on Wednesday. The Eagles won the women’s game 92-56 and claimed a 71-55 win in men’s action.