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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
Fearless, Integrity, Effort, Respect, Commitment, Excitement
ANGELETTI WBB VS GANNON
Natalie Angeletti and Daemen women's basketball keeps shooting their way up the national polls.

Wildcats Continue Climb In D2SIDA, WBCA National Polls

Daemen inside top 10 of sports info directors poll, moves up five spots to No. 12 in Division II coaches poll

2/23/2021 2:00:00 PM

By: By Joe Kraus, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
AMHERST, N.Y. – For the fourth straight week, the Daemen College women's basketball team is ranked in both Division II national polls. The Wildcats sit at No. 9 in this week's NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) national media poll. It marks the highest national ranking of the program's NCAA era (2015-present). In addition, the Wildcats are up five spots to No. 12 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II top 25 coaches poll. 

Daemen is now off to a 9-1 start to the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season and are winners in their last five contests. The Wildcats' winning ways continued with two more quality road victories February 20 and 21 down in Westchester County against Mercy College, 86-54 and 79-45. Once again, Daemen secured the pair of wins thanks to three-point shooting and a tight defensive game-plan. Daemen recorded a season-high 14 three-pointers in Sunday's victory, surpassing their previous high of 11 three-pointers, which they recorded three times. The Wildcats also forced 33 turnovers which led to 41 points plus an additional 31 points off second-chance opportunities.  

The Wildcats have ridden a stingy defense and strong rebounding into the national conversation this season. Daemen is surrendering just 52.3 points per game on 32.9% shooting to opponents, ranking 5th and 7th among all Division II teams in those respective stats. The Wildcats also lead Division II in rebounding margin, out-rebounding their opponents by an average of 13.3 boards per game. 
 
Leading the Wildcats this season have been the veteran trio of senior forward Caroline White (Fairport, N.Y.), junior forward Katie Titus (Penfield, N.Y.) and redshirt senior guard Tiara Filbert (Batavia, N.Y.). All double-figure scorers, the trio head into the final week of February ranked second (Titus: 14.8 ppg), third (White: 14.6 ppg) and fourth (Filbert: 13.3 ppg) among the East Coast Conference scoring leaders. Titus also leads the conference in three-point field goals (26) and total points (148) and is second in rebounding (8.2 rpg). The trio has been supported by contributions from junior forward Mickayla Ivy (Grand Rapids, Mich), who has averaged 9.2 points and 7.0 rebounds and has started in all 10 contests. Freshman guard Alahna Paige (Rochester, N.Y.) is the team leader in assists (34) and has averaged 5.9 points per game.

After never appearing in any Division II national poll before this season, Daemen has been ranked in the D2SIDA media poll for seven consecutive weeks and the WBCA coaches poll for four consecutive weeks. The D2SIDA media poll is conducted by sports information professionals from around the country. The WBCA coaches poll committee is comprised of one head coach from each of the 23 Division II conferences. 

Daemen wraps up the regular season with a pair of home games February 27 and 28 against St. Thomas Aquinas at Lumsden Gymnasium. 
D2SIDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL MEDIA POLL - FEB. 23
W-L PTS. PREV.
1. Lubbock Christian (16) 13-0 400 1
2. Hawaii Pacific 9-0 374 2
3. Lander 14-0 370 3
4. Drury 14-1 359 4
5. Charleston (W.Va.) 13-1 306 5
6. Valdosta State 16-2 300 9
7. Fort Hays State 18-2 296 12
8. North Georgia 14-1 281 11
9. DAEMEN 9-1 271 13
10. Michigan Tech 15-1 265 18
11. Minnesota-Duluth 10-1 247 6
12. Gannon 9-1 213 15
13. Western Colorado 13-2 198 21
14. Glenville State 8-1 187 10
15. Central Missouri 17-3 145 19
16. Grand Valley State 13-3 144 7
17. Belmont Abbey 17-2 132 RV
18. Colorado School of Mines 14-3 123 17
19. Georgian Court 7-0 102 RV
20. Union (Tenn). 14-4 77 RV
T21. Arkansas Tech 10-1 74 22
T21. West Texas A&M 14-3 74 8
23. Point Loma Nazarene 8-3 49 20
24. Barton 9-1 43 RV
25. Truman State 12-3 34 RV

( ) denotes first-place votes

Others receiving votes: Texas A&M-Commerce 30, Dominican (N.Y.) 26, Nebraska-Kearney 23, Carson-Newman 13, Montevallo 10, Notre Dame (Ohio) 10, Azusa Pacific 9, American International 5, Cedarville 4, Southwestern Oklahoma State 3, Tusculum 2, Tuskegee 1

Dropped Out: Carson-Newman, Montevallo, Nebraska-Kearney, Notre Dame (Ohio), Texas A&M-Commerce

DAEMEN IN THE D2SIDA NATIONAL POLL
Jan. 12 - 20
Jan. 19 - 17
Jan. 26 - 13
Feb. 2 - 14
Feb. 9 - 13
Feb. 16 - 13
Feb. 23 - 9 
WBCA DIVISION II TOP 25 COACHES POLL - FEB. 23
W-L PTS. PREV.
1. Lubbock Christian (22) 13-0 550 1
2. Lander 14-0 523 2
3. Drury 14-1 501 4
4. Hawaii Pacific 9-0 455 7
5. Fort Hays State 18-2 414 8
6. North Georgia 14-1 401 13
7. Charleston, WV 13-1 399 3
8. Valdosta State 16-2 368 10
9. Minnesota Duluth 10-1 349 6
10. Michigan Tech 15-1 346 19
11. Texas A&M-Commerce 10-2 346 19
12.  DAEMEN 9-1 255 17
13. Carson-Newman 14-2 251 11
14. Nebraska Kearney 17-3 221 12
15. Central Missouri 17-3 216 16
16. West Texas A&M 14-3 204 5
17. Glenville State 8-1 199 18
18. Grand Valley State 13-3 195 9
19. Southwestern Oklahoma State 13-2 191 20
20. Arkansas Tech 10-1 165 14
21. Western Colorado 13-2 162 21
22. Tuskegee 12-1 116 NR
23. Gannon 9-1 105 22
24. Belmont Abbey 17-2 91 NR
25. Tusculum 15-2 50 NR

( ) denotes first-place votes

Others receiving votes: Emporia State 31, Colorado Mines 24, Benedict 21, Truman State 14, Union (Tenn.)12, Walsh 9, Cedarville 7, Central Oklahoma 4. Six teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 42 combined points.

Dropped out: No. 23 Benedict, No. 24 Cedarville, No. 25 Colorado Mines

DAEMEN IN THE WBCA TOP 25 COACHES POLL
Feb. 2 - 18
Feb. 9 - 19
Feb. 16 - 17
Feb. 23 - 12

Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Support Daemen College's return to intercollegiate athletic competitions by making a contribution to the Game On Campaign and the Daemen Wildcats Gotta Play Fund. This comprehensive fundraising campaign was established to help offset the loss of valuable external revenue streams that directly support Daemen's 17 varsity programs. To learn more, visit daemenwildcats.com/gameon.
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