JMU women’s basketball ranked in USA Today Coaches Poll

James Madison women’s basketball jumped back into the USA Today Coaches Poll at No. 21, the organization released Tuesday afternoon. The Dukes received 106 votes in the week 15 poll.

The Dukes have been ranked three times in the USA Today Coaches Poll Top 25 this season, placing as high as No. 23 on two occasions prior to week 15. The No. 21 ranking is the highest for the Dukes since a No. 15 placement on April 1, 1991.

On Monday, JMU checked in at No. 23 in the week 15 edition of the Associated Press Top 25 poll, earning 62 points.

JMU had received votes in the last two editions of the AP poll, as well as the first 10 of the season. In the week 14 edition, Madison received nine points and was tied for the 32nd-most votes in the nation with DePaul. This is the Dukes’ first appearance in the AP Top 25 since Dec. 28, 2009, when they were ranked No. 25. It is the highest ranking for the program since being in the No. 22 slot on Feb. 18, 2007.

This season, JMU has been ranked three times in the USA Today Coaches Poll Top 25, placing as high as No. 23 on two occasions prior to week 15. The No. 21 ranking is the highest for the Dukes since a No. 15 placement on April 1, 1991.

The Dukes are 22-2 for just the fourth time in the program’s Division I history with a 13-0 mark in Colonial Athletic Association action. They sit atop the league standings with a four-game lead over second-place Drexel. In the NCAA Women’s Basketball rankings, Madison is rated No. 20.

Recently, junior point guard Angela Mickens and junior guard Precious Hall were both recognized at the national level as Mickens was named to the Lieberman Award Watch List (top D-I point guard) and Hall was named to the Naismith Trophy Women’s Midseason 30 (top national player). Seven of the CAA’s weekly Player of the Week nods have gone to the Dukes, including the most recent being awarded to Mickens on Monday.

This season, JMU has celebrated the program’s 1,000th win (Jan. 6, 74-57 vs. UNCW) as well as Head Coach Kenny Brooks’ 303rd victory (Feb. 15, 94-64 vs. Delaware). Sunday’s win over Delaware made him the all-time winningest coach in program history.

JMU heads south for its next contest, a 7 p.m. tipoff at UNCW on Feb. 19, before returning home to face third-place Hofstra at 2 p.m. on Feb. 22 in the annual Play 4Kay game. The Dukes will also celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day, as well as Girl Scout Day on Sunday at the JMU Convocation Center.