Women's basketball player on free throw lane
Ashland's Zoe Miller is poised along the free throw lane during last year's NCAA Tournament. Credit: Dillon Carr

EDITOR’S NOTE: Much of the information for this story was originally published by the Ashland University Sports Information Department at this link.

ASHLAND — Ashland University begins the NCAA Tournament on Friday at Allendale, Michigan as the top-ranked team in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NCAA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.

As announced by the WBCA on Tuesday afternoon, the Eagles (30-1) are atop the coaches poll for the eighth time in a row and the 13th time in 17 polls this season. In the latest poll, Ashland received 20 of 23 first-place votes.

Ashland will start the 2024 Division II Midwest Regional tournament on Friday (March 15) at 2:30 p.m. vs. No. RV Drury (25-6) at Grand Valley State University.

The 2023-24 Ashland University women’s basketball team compiled a 30-1 record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking heading into the NCAA Tournament.

The Eagles head into the NCAA postseason with a 22-game winning streak, wins in 67 of the last 68 games, 70 straight victories when leading at half, and a road/neutral-site winning streak of 43 games.

A year ago Ashland hosted the regional at Kates Gymnasium. This year, despite the No. 1 ranking, the defending national champion Eagles were seeded No. 2 in the region behind Grand Valley State (29-2).

Both schools have lost only one Division II game this season, and both to third-seeded Ferris State (22-5). The Lakers also lost to Big Ten regular-season champion Ohio State.

As the top seed, Grand Valley has the honor of hosting the tournament. Getting the top seed also means that if seeds hold to form, the Lakers will have to play only one of Ashland or Ferris State. Those two, as the second and third seeds, would meet in the semifinal.

Meanwhile, Grand Valley sits on the other side of the bracket and the top team that would face is fourth-seeded Northern Michigan (21-9).

Over the last 13 seasons, the Eagles have gone 389-40 (.907) with three NCAA Division II national titles, two national runner-up finishes, and three undefeated seasons.

AU boasts a Division II-record 73-game winning streak, a Division II-record 39-game road winning streak (current), eight 30-win seasons, 12 NCAA postseason qualifications, nine conference regular-season championships, 10 conference tournament titles, and a mark of 210-14 (.938) at home.

Tuesday’s poll marks the 68th time Ashland has been No. 1, a division record. The Eagles are 137-4 (.965) all-time as the No. 1 team in the nation, and 326-19 (.945) as a ranked team in D-II.

Since 1995-96, Ashland has been:

  • In the Top 25 of the coaches poll 172 times.
  • In the Top 10 of the coaches poll 151 times.
  • In the Top 5 of the coaches poll 124 times.

For a complete history of Ashland women’s basketball coaches poll rankings prior to 2023-24, go to page 44 of the program record book.

Going into the NCAA postseason, the Eagles are in the top five in the following D-II team categories:

  • First in field-goal percentage (50.5), assists per game (21.5) and rebounding margin per game (tied, plus-11.5).
  • Second in scoring margin per game (plus-26.9 ppg.) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.58-to-1).
  • Third in points per game (83.5), 3-point field-goal percentage (37.5) and 3-point field goals per game (tied, 9.8).
  • Fifth in bench points per game (35.7).

Individually, junior point guard Morgan Yoder maintains her No. 1 spot in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.42-to-1, while both junior forward Zoe Miller (fourth, 60.9 percent) and fifth-year forward Annie Roshak (sixth, 59.9) are in the top six in the nation in field-goal percentage.

2023-24 ASHLAND UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL WBCA COACHES POLL RANKINGS: No. 1 (preseason, Nov. 21, Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12), No. 2 (Dec. 19, Jan. 2, Jan. 9 and Jan. 16), No. 1 (Jan. 23, Jan. 30, Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27, March 5 and March 12).

NOTE ABOUT STREAMS FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT
NCAA Championships Pass will stream 120 DII men’s and women’s basketball tournament games (all games from first round through quarterfinals) live on NCAA.com. Games will be available on NCAA.com, school sites that stream through Hudl and opt to co-distribute the live streams, and the NCAA Championships Pass app available for Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Google TV.

Prices for viewing (first round through quarterfinals)

  • $9.95 per game
  • $29.95 per championship
  • $49.95 for all games

Semifinals and finals viewing

  • Semifinals: Wednesday, March 27 on CBS Sports Network (7 p.m., 9:30 p.m.)
  • Championship: Friday, March 29 on CBS Sports Network (8 p.m.)