LILBURN, Ga. - The Malone University women's basketball team had a significant jump in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Coaches Poll for NCAA Division II. The Pioneers went from 21st to 16th in the week five edition of the national rankings and are now the third-highest team in the Midwest Region behind #1 Grand Valley State University and #14 Northern Michigan University out of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
 
Malone is now 10-0 for the first time in the program's NCAA Division II era and are closing in on the best start in the program's illustrious 58-year history. The Pioneers were 12-0 to begin the 1999-2000 season during the NAIA era. The Head Coach of that squad was Malone University Athletics Hall of Famer Kathy Haas, who is currently the winningest coach in Malone women's basketball history. Hot on her heels is Selana Ickes with 128 career victories as Pioneer head coach.
 
The team had a pair of blowout wins last week on the road. The first came at Cedarville University by a score of 75-52 and the second at Lake Erie College, 72-51. Erin Kaufman recorded a double-double against the Yellow Jackets with 10 points and 13 rebounds while Nataley Armstrong and Abbey Price led the team in scoring with 11 points each. Kaufman (15 points) and Price (12 points) were joined by Brinn Hunt in double figures with 11 points in the victory against the Storm.
 
Looking ahead, Malone has a pair of non-conference games before returning to Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) action for the remainder of the regular season. The Pioneers travel to California University of Pennsylvania on Thursday, December 18 at 5:30 P.M. followed by a home game versus Bryant & Stratton College on Tuesday, December 30 at 5:30 P.M.