Horizon League Women's Basketball on the Upswing

Oct. 6, 2008

-- posted by Will Roleson, Associate Commissioner for Communication & Multimedia

A couple weeks ago, we recognized the Horizon League's men's basketball programs here with a list of `points of pride as the college basketball season nears.

Now, with preseason practice starting Friday, Oct. 17, we honor the League's women's basketball teams, which have made marked improvement as a group during the last few seasons and look for an even better season ahead.

-- The Horizon League's women's basketball League RPI for the 2007-08 season was 17th, which was a 7-spot improvement over 24th in 2006-07 AND the largest gain of any Division I conference last season.

-- The #17 ranking also was the League's best since 19th in the 2000-01 season and the best on record since ranking 14th in 1997-98.

-- As importantly, the League ranked 16th in team schedule strength in 2007-08, for a nation-leading 8-spot improvement over 24th in 2006-07.

-- That #16 strength of schedule ranking also was the best for the conference since a League-best 14th, again in 1997-98.

-- The League also had two 20-win teams (Green Bay 26, Butler 20) for only the fourth time since the 1995-96 season.

-- In addition, the League had two teams in national postseason tournaments ( Cleveland State-NCAA, Green Bay-NIT) for the third straight season, but just the fourth time in the last 10 years.

Congratulations to our women's basketball coaches, their staffs and our schools' administrators for their support of women's basketball and the recent improvements!