KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After spending a week as the 24th ranked team in the nation, the University of Arkansas at Monticello men’s basketball team has been placed back into the top 20, earning a No. 19 ranking in the latest NABC Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.
 
The Weevils have been on a journey of rankings so far this season, starting by receiving nine votes in the pre-season poll to earning as high as a No. 5 ranking in the last week of December.
 
As UAM head coach Mike Newell puts it, it’s just nice to be ranked. “It’s always a goal of any program to stay in the Top 25,” said Newell. “Also, it feels much better to be going up the elevator, instead of going down.”
 
UAM climbed to as high as No. 5 in the poll after a UAM best 9-0 start to the season, but fell to No. 14 after losses to St. Edward’s and Texas A&M-Commerce to end the 2008 portion of the schedule. The Weevils then fell even further to No. 24 with a loss to now 12th ranked Christian Brothers in the first conference game of the season.
 
This week, the Weevils kept their streak alive and improved to No. 19 with two key GSC wins over Delta State (75-70) on the road and pre-season favorite Ouachita Baptist (58-49) at home.
 
UAM has now been ranked in the Top 25 in seven consecutive polls, marking the longest streak in Weevil basketball history. “Being ranked this many weeks in a row reflects our team’s hard work and commitment to winning,” said Newell.
 
UAM joins Christian Brothers (No. 12) and Arkansas Tech (No. 17) as this week’s representative of the GSC, while Valdosta State received eight votes.
 
The Weevils attempt to improve their ranking with another pair of GSC games this week, starting at home against Henderson State on Thursday, followed by a road contest at Harding on Saturday.