Arkansas Tech University is listed among the premier NCAA Division II women’s basketball teams in America at the end of the season for a third consecutive year.
The Golden Suns are ranked No. 23 in the final USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II top 25 poll of the 2011-12 season. The end-of-year rankings were released by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association on Tuesday, March 27.
Arkansas Tech has now been ranked in 45 consecutive USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II women’s basketball top 25 polls (including preseason polls).
The Golden Suns entered the rankings at No. 24 on Dec. 8, 2009, and they have been included in every poll since — the final 13 polls of the 2009-10 season, all 16 of the 2010-11 polls and all 16 polls in 2011-12.
Arkansas Tech finished the 2011-12 season with an overall record of 22-4. The Golden Suns, who posted the 30th 20-win season in the 35-year history of the program, were regular season champions of the Great American Conference. It was the Suns’ 22nd regular season conference title.
Despite the conference championship and the fact that Arkansas Tech ended the regular season on an 11-game winning streak, the Golden Suns did not receive an at-large bid to the 2012 NCAA Division II Tournament.
Instead, West Texas A&M was selected to go to the NCAA Division II Tournament South Central Regional as the No. 8 seed and the Lady Buffaloes suffered a 68-36 loss to Washburn University in the first round.
Arkansas Tech was 83-10 overall with two NCAA Division II Tournament South Regional championships over the past three seasons.
Head coach Dave Wilbers is 128-25, an .837 winning percentage, in five seasons at Tech.
This season marks the 21st time since 1986 that Arkansas Tech has finished a women’s basketball season ranked in a national top 25 poll.
Click here to view the final USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II top 25 poll of the season.
Click here to learn more about Golden Suns basketball.
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