Gold Nuggets move up to 22nd in NAIA poll
For immediate release . . . February 7, 2007

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed one spot to No. 22 in the NAIA Division I women's basketball rankings announced Wednesday.

The Gold Nuggets, 18-6 and winner of 11 of their last 12 games, are in the top 25 for the fifth consecutive week. They won easily at home in their two most recent games — 69-49 against Spring Hill and 61-44 against Tougaloo.

The Vanguard Lions (18-0) of Costa Mesa, Calif., were unanimously chosen No. 1. They're on top for the eighth consecutive ranking and a unanimous pick for the fifth straight week.

Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday on the road against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponent Mobile. Xavier is 10-1 in the GCAC and leads the conference by a game over Loyola (9-2) and 1 1/2 games over Mobile (9-3). Xavier will visit Loyola at 3 p.m. Saturday before playing fourth-place SUNO at 5:30 p.m. Monday at The Barn.

In the men's rankings, the Xavier Gold Rush didn't receive any votes despite a seven-game winning streak which moved it to the top of the GCAC standings. Records in both rankings include games through Saturday; the Gold Rush did not move into first place until a Monday victory against Tougaloo.

      LAST                           1ST PLACE 
RANK  WEEK  SCHOOL                     VOTES   RECORD  POINTS
 1      1   Vanguard (Calif.)            11     18-0     330
 2      2   Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)           22-1     319
 3      3   St. Xavier (Ill.)                   21-2     307
 4      5   Lee (Tenn.)                         20-3     286
 5      6   Montana Western                     22-2     278
 6      7   Union (Tenn.)                       18-4     273
 7      4   Lubbock Christian (Texas)           18-4     269
 8      8   Cumberlands (Ky.)                   21-3     259
 9      9   Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.)           17-3     231
10     11   Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)        16-5     223
11     10   Cumberland (Tenn.)                  18-4     220
12     12   Carroll (Mont.)                     23-2     219
13     15   Azusa Pacific (Calif.)              18-4     201
14     14   Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)              16-7     178
15     16   Oklahoma Christian                  16-4     171
16     13   Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.)            20-4     155
17     19   Langston (Okla.)                    19-3     149
18     18   Southern Nazarene (Okla.)           17-4     146
19     20   Columbia (Mo.)                      20-3     141
20     21   Oklahoma City                       18-4     131
21     17   Georgetown (Ky.)                    17-7     110 
22     23   Xavier (La.)                        17-6     100
23     24   Master's (Calif.)                   12-7      82
24     22   Houston Baptist (Texas)             17-5      73
25     NR   Lambuth (Tenn.)                     15-7      55
Others Receiving Votes: Oklahoma Baptist, 53; Loyola (La.), 44; 
Mobile (Ala.), 24; Montana State-Northern, 22; Martin Methodist (Tenn.), 
18; West Virginia Tech, 15; Westmont (Calif.), 13; Brewton-Parker (Ga.), 5; 
Southern-New Orleans (La.), 5; McKendree (Ill.), 3; Montana Tech, 3; Science 
& Arts (Okla.), 3; Fresno Pacific (Calif.), 1.