Gold Nuggets rank 21st in NAIA poll
For immediate release . . . January 24, 2007

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana moved up one place to No. 21 in the NAIA Division I women's basketball rankings announced Wednesday.

The Gold Nuggets, 15-5 and winners of their last eight games, are in the top 25 for the third consecutive week. They were 22nd a week ago and tied for 23rd two weeks ago. It's Xavier's highest ranking since being No. 15 in the final 2004-05 poll, which was conducted at the end of the regular season.

The Vanguard Lions (14-0) of Costa Mesa, Calif., were unanimously chosen No. 1. They're on top for the sixth consecutive ranking and a unanimous pick for the third straight week.

Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Delgado Community College's gym against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponent SUNO. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 5 p.m. Saturday at The Barn against GCAC opponent Dillard. Xavier is 7-0 in the GCAC and leads the conference by two games over Mobile and Loyola and 2 1/2 games over SUNO.

      LAST                           1ST PLACE 
RANK  WEEK  SCHOOL                     VOTES   RECORD  POINTS
 1      1   Vanguard (Calif.)            11     14-0     330
 2      2   Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)           19-1     317
 3      3   Lee (Tenn.)                         16-2     301
 4      5   St. Xavier (Ill.)                   17-2     298
 5      7   Lubbock Christian (Texas)           14-3     290
 6      6   Montana Western                     19-2     263
 7      4   Cumberlands (Ky.)                   17-3     256
 8     12   Union (Tenn.)                       14-4     250
 9      9   Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.)           14-3     230
10      8   Oklahoma City                       15-3     229
11     10   Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)        13-4     226
12     11   Cumberland (Tenn.)                  15-3     214
13     13   Carroll (Mont.)                     20-1     211
14     15   Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.)            18-2     179
15     14   Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)              13-6     175
16     16   Azusa Pacific (Calif.)              14-4     173
17     18   Georgetown (Ky.)                    15-5     144
18     17   Oklahoma Christian                  11-3     133
19     20   Langston (Okla.)                    15-3     116
20     19   Master's (Calif.)                   10-5     108
21     22   Xavier (La.)                        14-5     106
22     21   Columbia (Mo.)                      16-3     103
23     24   Houston Baptist (Texas)             14-4      93
24     25   Westmont (Calif.)                   11-5      76
25     NR   Oklahoma Baptist                    12-3      75
Others Receiving Votes: Oklahoma Baptist, 60; Mobile 
(Ala.), 46; Lambuth (Tenn.), 29; West Virginia Tech, 25; 
Brewton-Parker (Ga.), 24; Montana State-Northern, 13; 
Martin Methodist (Tenn.), 8; Fresno Pacific (Calif.), 4; 
Loyola (La.), 4; Campbellsville (Ky.), 3; McKendree (Ill.), 2; 
Montana Tech, 1.