ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team has moved up one spot in the latest USA Today Sports WBCA Top 25 poll as they are No. 16 this week.

It’s the fourth-straight week the Griffons (9-0, 4-0 MIAA) have appeared in the poll and the third-straight week the team has moved up, beginning at No. 22. This past week the Griffons handed Pittsburg State its first loss of the season and hung on to become just the second team to defeat Missouri Southern in 2015. For her efforts, LaQuinta Jefferson was named MIAA Women’s Basketball Co-Athlete of the Week. It was the second time in three weeks Jefferson received the honor.

Missouri Western is officially off to its best MIAA start since beginning 4-0 in 1997 and its best overall start since the 2001-02 season. The 2006-07 team began the season 10-0 in the MIAA and 21-0 overall but had to vacate all wins that season. The Griffons best MIAA start ever was the 1993-94 team that went 16-0 in MIAA play to claim the first of two-straight regular season MIAA championships. The Griffons followed up the undefeated run with a 15-1 record and regular season MIAA Championship in 1994-95. That team won 10 league games before losing in MIAA play.

This weekend the Griffons have a rare Friday-Sunday swing on the road. Missouri Western visits Lindenwood on Dec. 18 and Lincoln on Dec. 20. After that, the Griffons play four in a row at home, beginning with a non-conference tilt against the University of Saint Mary on New Year’s Eve.

— MWSU Athletics —