The Virginia Union University women’s basketball team has finished the 2016-17 season ranked #2 in the final Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll of the season, released on Saturday, March 25.
The Lady Panthers moved up from #18 due to a miraculous run through the NCAA Tournament, culminating in an appearance in the 2017 National Championship game against Ashland University on Friday, March 24.
The #2 ranking is the highest finish ever for a VUU women’s team in the WBCA poll.
VUU finished the 2016-17 with a 28-5 record.
| Rank | School (record) | Points | First-place votes |
Previous
rank |
| 1 | Ashland (37-0) | 600 | 24 | 1 |
| 2 | Virginia Union (28-5) | 548 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | California Baptist (35-3) | 547 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Harding (31-4) | 509 | 0 | 10 |
| 5 | Columbus State (31-2) | 493 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Drury (30-4) | 420 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | Queens, NY (25-4) | 414 | 0 | 15 |
| 8 | Emporia State (29-5) | 380 | 0 | 6 |
| 9 | California, PA (30-4) | 379 | 0 | 7 |
| 10 | Alaska-Anchorage (29-2) | 374 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Colorado State-Pueblo (28-4) | 320 | 0 | 9 |
| 12 | West Florida (28-7) | 309 | 0 | NR |
| 13 | Lincoln Memorial (26-5) | 289 | 0 | 13 |
| 14 | Adelphi (27-5) | 283 | 0 | 8 |
| 15 | West Texas A&M (26-9) | 261 | 0 | NR |
| 16 | Pittsburg State (25-6) | 247 | 0 | 11 |
| 17 | Eckerd (27-5) | 196 | 0 | 12 |
| 18 | Western Washington (26-6) | 185 | 0 | 16 |
| 19 | Bentley (26-5) | 176 | 0 | 14 |
| 20 | Angelo State (26-6) | 153 | 0 | 20 |
| 21 | Minnesota State-Moorhead (24-5) | 125 | 0 | 17 |
| 22 | Central Missouri (24-7) | 121 | 0 | 19 |
| 23 | Simon Fraser (26-8) | 84 | 0 | NR |
| 24 | Wingate (25-5) | 78 | 0 | 21 |
| 25 | Central Oklahoma (25-8) | 38 | 0 | 25 |
