One home win saw the Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team improve its standing in the conference and in the national coaches poll.
After an 88-62 win Saturday against Colorado Christian University, FLC climbed from No. 21 to No. 17 in the latest National Associated of Basketball Coaches Division II poll. The Skyhawks have now appeared in the poll each of the last two weeks after a one-week hiatus broke up a streak of 36 consecutive weeks inside the top 25.
FLC (17-3, 13-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) was powered by senior center Brandon Wilson in the win against CCU. To go with his 16 points and five assists, Wilson hauled in 15 rebounds, blocked three shots and collected two steals. That effort earned the 6-foot-9, 215-pound center for Littleton his third RMAC Defensive Player of the Week this season. Wilson was voted the RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by the coaches and is on his way to earning the honor at the end of the regular season.
For the fourth time in the last five weeks, there is a new top team in the NABC poll, as Lincoln Memorial (19-1) of Tennessee took the top spot with 14 first-place votes. Former No. 1 West Liberty (18-1) of West Virginia dropped to No. 5. Queens (20-1) of North Carolina is No. 2, Ferris State (21-1) of Michigan is third and Western Oregon (19-1) is fourth.
FLC is the only RMAC team in the poll. Three teams from the South Central Region, all of the Lone Star Conference, are featured in the top 25, with No. 8 Texas-Permian Basin (18-2), No. 10 West Texas A&M (19-2) and No. 22 Texas A&M Commerce (16-4). One representative of the Heartland Conference, No. 18 Dallas Baptist (17-3), also is in the poll. The RMAC, Lone Star and Heartland teams make up the South Central region.
The Skyhawks have a pair of home games this week, with New Mexico Highlands (13-8, 8-7 RMAC) set to visit at 7:30 p.m. Friday followed by CSU-Pueblo (10-11, 7-8 RMAC) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
One win wasn’t enough last week for the FLC women’s basketball team to jump back into the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division II top 25.
A three-game road losing streak ended FLC’s season-long run in the top 25 when last week’s poll was released. This week, the Skyhawks (17-4, 11-4 RMAC) received 12 votes, the third-most of any team outside the top 25. However, Fort Lewis is ranked No. 23 in the Division 2 Sports Information Directors of America poll.
Ashland University (20-0) in Ohio maintained its top ranking in the WBCA women’s poll. The Eagles have won an NCAA Division II women’s basketball record 57 consecutive games. That mark is tied with the Winona State men for the longest streak in Division II history.
FLC is the only RMAC team to receive votes in the WBCA poll. No. 2 Lubbock Christian (19-1) and No. 25 West Texas A&M (16-4) are the only South Central Region teams in the poll.
Behind first-year head coach Sean Claussen, the Fort Lewis College women’s lacrosse team was picked sixth out of 10 teams in the RMAC.
Lindenwood, a perennial national power, was selected first in a tight vote against Regis. Lindenwood received six first-place votes and 78 points. Regis received the other four first-place votes and 76 points. Colorado Mesa was third with 65 points, Westminster was fourth with 48, Rockhurst came in fifth with 45 and FLC earned 44 points to narrowly edge CSU-Pueblo’s 43. Oklahoma Baptist came in eighth with 20 points, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs was ninth with 16 points, and Adams State was selected last with 15 points.
Claussen replaced Julia Decker during the summer. He is left to pick up a team with only 17 women on the roster with eyes toward a big year of recruiting while trying to maintain player health for the 2018 season.
FLC will benefit from the return of senior goalkeeper Ally Guerrero and star senior midfielder Taylor Cabrera. Senior Brooke Galle and junior Kelli Warmouth provide experience in the midfield, and sophomore attacker Delaney Benson is back after scoring 14 goals as a freshman.
FLC will open the season Feb. 17 at Colorado Mesa in a non-conference game.
The FLC softball team will start the season with five games in Las Vegas this Friday through Sunday. Ahead of first pitch, the RMAC released its preseason coaches poll. Colorado Mesa University earned all 11 possible first-place votes for 121 points and top billing in the preseason poll. The Mavericks went 35-4 in conference last season and 48-8 overall.
Colorado Mesa players swept the preseason awards. Colorado Mines came in at second in the preseason poll with 103 points, and Metro State University-Denver was in third with 102 points.
Fort Lewis and Black Hills State tied for last with 18 points each.
FLC had one player named to the Preseason All-RMAC team, as Angelique Elemen was selected as a junior. The 2017 All-RMAC First Team honoree has hit for a .407 career batting average. She blasted 17 home runs and 12 doubles last season to go with 61 runs batted in and 32 runs scored.
The Skyhawks, led by third-year head coach Elle Fracker, boast eight new freshmen this season to go with eight sophomores on a young squad. The team has four juniors and only two seniors in Lauren Caldwell and Tristen Gilbert.
FLC will open play at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Las Vegas against UC-San Diego.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
