INDIANAPOLIS - The first edition of the NCAA Division II women's basketball regional rankings were released and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has three of the top ten teams in the central region.  Minnesota Duluth ranks second followed by Sioux Falls in third while St. Cloud State is sixth in the first of three rankings.

The Cougars, the NSIC South Champions, have had one of their best season under Travis Traphagen, reaching 23 wins with a possibility of adding two more this weekend when city-rival Augustana and Wayne State come to the Stewart Center. This is the second straight season, and fourth in the last five, to eclipse 20 wins, and sixth under Coach Traphagen. The Cougars have been led by NSIC South Preseason Player of the Year Kaely Hummel, who has averaged 17.2 points per game in 27 starts. Hummel earlier in the season became the fourth Cougar to reach 1,500 points, as well as becoming the all-time three-pointer scorer in program history.

The NSIC, the Great American Conference (GAC) and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) make up the 42-team NCAA Central Region again this year.  The top eight teams in the region advance to the NCAA Regional Tournament on March 13-14, 16.  Automatic bids are granted to the winners of the NSIC, GAC and MIAA postseason tournaments, with the remaining five spots being awarded on an at-large basis.

The NCAA Women's Basketball Selection Show is set to air on NCAA.com at 9 p.m. (CT) on Sunday, March 8. The NCAA Elite Eight will take place on March 24-25, 27 at the at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.
 

Rank	School	Overall DII Record	In-Region Record
1	Central Missouri (MIAA)	18-4	18-4
2	Minnesota Duluth (NSIC)	21-5	21-5
3	Sioux Falls (NSIC)	23-4	23-4
4	Emporia State (MIAA)	16-5	16-5
5	Nebraska-Kearney (MIAA)	17-3	17-3
6	St. Cloud State (NSIC)	18-5	17-5
7	Southeastern Oklahoma State (GAC)	15-6	15-6
8	Fort Hays State (MIAA)	15-6	14-6
9	Southwestern Oklahoma State (GAC)	17-7	17-7
10	Central Oklahoma (MIAA)	17-7	17-7