KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The West Liberty University men’s basketball team set an all-time NCAA record on Tuesday when it moved up a couple of spots to check in at No. 8 in this week’s NCAA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.
It was the 77th consecutive poll appearance for Coach Jim Crutchfield’s high-flying Hilltoppers, who have been ranked in every Top 25 poll since Feb. 2, 2010. That’s the longest unbroken string of success since the NCAA Division II poll was founded during the 1960-61 season.
The previous record of 76 consecutive appearances had initially been set by Grambling, La., starting in that inaugural season on Jan. 5, 1961 and carrying through to March 9, 1967. Grambling’s mark was tied by Salem International, coached by current West Virginia University women’s basketball coach Mike Carey, when the Tigers appeared in 76 consecutive polls from Jan. 21, 1997 to March 11, 2003.
Speaking of streaks, this week marks West Liberty’s 55th consecutive Top 10 ranking, dating back to Dec. 13, 2011. That’s the third-longest Top 10 run in NCAA Division II history, trailing only Kentucky Wesleyan (70 weeks) and Grambling (76 weeks).
The Hilltoppers breezed to three straight double-digit wins last week, hammering West Virginia State, 119-82, Concord, 99-71, and UVA-Wise, 103-84, to clinch Crutchfield’s 11th 20-win season in as many years at the West Liberty helm.
There was some shuffling at the top of this week’s Top 25 as four of last week’s eight teams suffered losses. That included last week’s No. 1 squad, Lincoln Memorial, Tenn., which fell to Carson-Newman, Tenn. in its first loss of the season.
That opened the door for Florida Southern (21-1) to move into the top spot with 15 of the 16 first-place votes after a big win against then-No. 3-ranked Barry, Fla. Augustana, S.D. (23-1) is No. 2 this week with Bellarmine, Ky. (20-2), Angelo State, Texas (21-1) and Lincoln Memorial (21-1) rounding out the top five. Barry (18-2) slipped to No. 6, followed by Indianapolis (19-2), the Hilltoppers, Minnesota State-Moorhead (25-2) and Metro State, Colo. (20-3).
West Liberty and No. 16 Indiana, Pa. (20-3) remain the lone Atlantic Region teams receiving votes in this week’s poll, which included games played through Sunday, Feb. 8.
The Hilltoppers will be back in action Thursday night with a 7:30 p.m. game at Shepherd.
