There's a new No. 1 in the DII women's basketball Power 10 rankings

Ashland saw its remarkable 45-game winning streak come to an end this past weekend. While it doesn't mean the Eagles are any less a threat to winning yet another national championship, it does mean there is a new No. 1 in DII women's basketball.

UPSET CITY: No. 10 Ferris State comes from behind to upend No. 1 Ashland 

This week was very tough. The field is deep this year, and let me tell you, the Midwest Region appears to be an absolute nightmare. Three of the top five teams hail from that part of the bracket, and I expect all three to hang around the Power 10 for some time.

Remember, these are my rankings, and I try to capture an overall picture of DII women's basketball. That means combining selection committee metrics with the simple eye test, while looking at what lies ahead in the new year to see if teams can maintain their current hot-streak status. As with the DII men's basketball Power 10 rankings, this season I will be using stats from InkblotSports. You can see those metrics — which include RPI and PI amongst other selection metrics —  or join the . 

The first DII women's basketball Power 10 rankings of the regular season

(all stats and records through Sunday, Dec. 17)

No. 1 Grand Valley State | Previous: 7

The Lakers are 8-0 in DII play, dropping their lone loss to Division I Ohio State (and picked up their ninth DII win after the 17th by nearly 50 points). They haven't played anyone particularly tough just yet, but this team has been a model of excellence for a few years running. They allow just 50.2 points per game and are winning games by more than 22.1 points per game. The offensive attack is well balanced as seven players contribute more than six points per game. The Lakers are going to be tough to beat in GLIAC play. 

No. 2 Ashland | Previous: 1

Let's not fool ourselves. This team lost to a very good Ferris State team and is still one of the best in DII — and as reigning champions, are still the team to beat. Player-of-the-year candidate Annie Roshak added to her Ashland lore, by becoming a member of the exclusive Ashland 2,000-point club and is leading the way for the Eagles with 15.1 points per game on 57.4 percent shooting. As always, this team is deep and tough on both sides of the ball. 

No. 3 Tampa| Previous: 3

The Spartans did have two early-season losses, but have reeled off eight wins in a row, with a must win over Eckerd and a big win over nationally-ranked North Georgia. Three of the starters from last year's quarterfinals team are back and making major contributions, including Mya Giusto, who is leading the team in scoring. Zoe Piller, who came in from West Florida, has been a huge addition with 13.5 points and a team-high 8.4 rebounds per game. Tampa enters the new year with a tough matchup against Embry-Riddle but appear to be the team to beat in the South right now. 

No. 4 Catawba | Previous: 6

Catawba is off to a 7-1 start against an absolutely brutal schedule, having played just one team with a losing record. In fact, Catawba has played the 10th toughest schedule in DII women's basketball and is still one of the best teams out there right now. The team is winning games by roughly 11 points a contest and four of the starters are in double-figure scoring with Lyrik Thorne leading the way with 17.1 points per game. Thorne should be a name you hear a bunch toward March — if Catawba goes far like last year, she will be a player of the year candidate. 

No. 5 Ferris State | Previous: First five out

The Bulldogs beat Ashland and that boosts them way up the rankings. That victory actually gave them the No. 1 RPI and PI in the Midwest Region which speaks volumes, considering three of the top five teams hail from that part of the bracket. Chloe Idoni is off to a very hot start, scoring 17.9 points per game while also leading the team in rebounding and steals. There are two more matchups with Grand Valley State awaiting on their schedule, so there's a long way to go for the Bulldogs. But this is exactly the start they needed.

No. 6 Southern Nazarene | Previous: NR

The Storm are checking off all the boxes early and are 10-0 heading into the break. They have a slew of signature wins, downing Minnesota State, Lubbock Christian and most recently No. 25 Northwestern Oklahoma State. They aren't scoring massive amounts of points, but this defense is solid, allowing just 53.2 point per game, 11th-fewest in DII women's basketball. Make no mistake, this team can score: Lauryn Reither averages 17.3 points per game on an impressive 58.5 percent shooting while Hannah Giddey is a double-double machine, averaging 11.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. Southern Nazarene was the No. 8 seed in the Central last year, but so far, it is looking like a strong candidate for the No. 1 come March.

No. 7 Western Washington | Previous: Also considered

The West Region, per usual, is wild. There are no undefeated teams remaining at the top, which is odd this time of year. There is something to be said for the consistency that the Vikings program has shown over the past decade, and here they are once again atop the West in PI and RPI. They have signature wins against preseason-ranked teams like Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State LA, as well as a 16-point win over Azusa Pacific, which is pretty much what kept the Cougars out of the top 10. Pencil in Brooke Walling as a player-of-the-year candidate: She is putting up nightly averages of 17.4 points and 10.5 rebounds as a double-double waiting to happen. 

No. 8 Gannon | Previous: NR

Gannon is off to an impressive start, now sitting at 11-1. The Golden Knights opened the season with big wins over Angelo State and Tampa, and have been rolling ever since. This team is blowing people out, winning games by more than 21 points per game with one of the best scoring defenses in DII. Samantha Pirosko is leading the way, topping Gannon in points (16.9) and rebounds (6.9) per game. A huge matchup against nationally-ranked West Chester awaits.

No. 9 Texas Woman's| Previous: Also considered

The Pioneers are off to an electric start once again, with résumé-building wins against Montana State Billings, Minnesota State, and Colorado School of Mines. They have a tough non-conference matchup against Harding before entering the heart of LSC play, which is a total grind, so the 10-1 start is quite important. Four of the starting five score 10 points or more per game, led by Ashley Ingram, who contributes 16.8 points per game on an impressive 65.9 percent shooting while leading the team in rebounds with 8.1 per game. Coming off a historic season, TWU is looking to get back to the tournament and make some noise in 2024. 

No. 10 (tie) Bentley, Union (TN) | Previous: NR, Also considered, respectively

Bentley is currently the top team in the East Region, No. 1 overall in RPI and PI. The Falcons have one of the best scoring defenses in DII women's basketball, which is how they win their games. Bentley has some scorers, but defense is the key to victory. 

Yes, I know Union just lost to Valdosta State, but the Blazers are a very good team despite getting no love in last week's national top 25. Looking at the big picture, despite the loss, Union still has the second-best PI and RPI in the South Region and is leading DII women's basketball in scoring by nine points per game. There are five players scoring in double figures and considering three come off the bench, you can see how deep this team is. Now, how will this offense — which typically scores about 75 points per game an annual basis — respond to the stingier defenses in the Gulf South and South Region? That we'll have to wait and see, but for now, while Union is winning games by more than 30 points a night, it gets top-10 consideration. 

First five out (in alphabetical order):

• Azusa Pacific: On paper, this is the second-best team in the West. The problem is they had a tough run in their non-conference schedule but could dominate the PacWest and win out.
• Colorado School of Mines: The Orediggers have won nine in a row and are 11-1 on the season with big wins over tournament-ready teams like West Texas A&M, Colorado Mesa, and MSU Billings. Ashley Steffeck also happens to be one of the best players in the division, which helps.
• Embry-Riddle: This team needs some big, tournament-résumé wins under their belt, but you have to like what they are doing, sitting at 6-1 in DII and the second-best RPI in a tough South.
• Fairmont State: The Falcons are statistically the top team in the Atlantic in both RPI and PI, and they have accomplished that against an opponents' schedule with a winning percentage of .597. That's all you need to know.
• Pittsburg State: The Gorillas are cruising, sitting at 10-1 with big MIAA wins against Missouri Western and Central Missouri. They lead the conference in scoring and Grace Pyle (19.2 points per game) and Karenna Gerber (17.4 points per game) are both in the top-4 in scoring. This team appears to be loaded. 

Teams to watch: Colorado Mesa, Drury, Lee, Lubbock Christian, Minnesota Duluth, Saint Rose, Sonoma State, West Chester