WICHITA - The Newman women's basketball team earned its first-ever NCAA Div. II national ranking Tuesday, receiving 125 votes and a No. 23 national ranking in this week's USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll. The Jets are one of four Kansas universities to appear in this week's poll.

No. 23 Newman broke into the top-25 one spot below No. 22 Emporia State. The Jets defeated ESU 65-58 in their season opener, Nov. 11 inside Fugate Gymnasium. The win over the Hornets marked the first time in school histroy the Jets beat ESU.

Newman (17-2, 6-0 Heartland) picked up a 107-84 road win over Oklahoma Panhandle State last week in Goodwell, Okla.  In that contest three Newman players notched double-doubles as the Jets pushed their winning streak to 11 games. Newman currently leads the Heartland Conference with a 6-0 conference record, and a 17-2 overall record.

The Jets will return to action Thursday Feb. 2 when they travel to Fort Smith, Ark. for a conference match against the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lady Lions. Tip-time is slated for 5:30 p.m. inside the Stubblefield Center.

USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll - Jan. 31, 2012

School (1st place votes)	Record	Prev.	Points
1. Cal. - San Diego (32)	20-0	1	800
2. Edinboro	18-0	3	749
3. Metro State	18-1	4	727
4. Wayne State	19-2	7	656
5. Clayton State	19-2	2	635
6. Ashland	18-1	9	599
7. Fort Lewis	16-2	8	594
8. Alaska-Anchorage	19-3	12	524
9. Bentley	17-3	5	498
10. Northeastern State	17-2	6	493
11. Washburn	18-3	14	452
12. Pittsburg State	18-2	16	432
13. Arkansas Tech	13-3	13	342
14. Rollins	15-3	10	340
15. Grand Canyon	15-2	11	333
16. South Carolina-Aiken	16-3	15	302
17. Indiana (Pa.)	16-2	18	295
18. Florida Southern	16-3	19	287
19. Lander	15-3	24	239
20. Gannon	15-3	20	197
21. Dowling	16-3	23	156
22. Emporia State	14-4	17	135
23. Newman	17-2	NR	125
24. Wisconsin-Parkside	15-4	NR	65
25. Augustana	16-3	NR	63

Others receiving votes: Cal State-Poly.-Pomona 43; Johnson C Smith 42; Southern Connecticut State 42; District of Columbia 31; Ferris State 29; Assumption 24; Tarleton State 21; Indianapolis 21; Michigan Tech 16; Catawba 14; Northern Kentucky 13; Pace 13; Bloomsburg 6; Shaw 6; Cal. State-Monterey Bay 5; Southern New Hampshire 5; Delta State 4; Wingate 4; Winston-Salem State 3; Midwestern State 2; Alabama-Huntsville 2; Cal. State-Los Angles 1; Philadelphia 1; Tusculum 1; Central Missouri 1; West Chester 1.