ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western women’s basketball team sits atop the first edition of the 2016 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Central Region Poll.

The regional poll determines which teams advance to the postseason past the conference tournaments. The top-eight ranked teams will be invited to play in the central regional set to take place March 11-14. A bid process will ultimately determine the host, but preference is given to the top seed.

Missouri Western is in the midst of its best season in more than a decade. The team’s 23 wins are one shy of the program record for regular season victories and its 17 MIAA wins are already the most in the program’s storied history.

With three games remaining, the Griffons have a game and a half lead for first place over Fort Hays State in the MIAA standings. Fort Hays State appears at No. 3 in the regional poll. On Missouri Western’s heels is Pittsburg State at No. 2. Emporia State is the other MIAA team listed in this week’s poll, coming in at No. 6. Also in the top-10 are No. 4 Winona State, No. 5 Arkansas Tech, No. 7 Minnesota State-Moorhead, No. 8 Sioux Falls, No. 9 Northern State and No. 10 Augustana.

Click here to view all regional polls.

— MWSU Athletics —