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EMU basketball women jump into national rankings

James De Boer — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 15:51:22 +0000

They didn’t accomplish the fete last year when they went to the NCAA National Championships. Even the year before when they finished 22-4, the EMU basketball women couldn’t pull it off. But this season it took all of one week for the Royals to jump into the national poll.

After receiving votes in the preseason national listing, Eastern Mennonite’s women are ranked No. 24 in the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll. The Royals are 2-0 after double-digit wins over Chatham and Lancaster Bible at the EMU Tip-Off Invitational last weekend. Even as they adjusted to some injuries as well as defections from last year’s 21-7 team, EMU showed off one of their biggest strengths – their depth.

also neared a milestone, as the wins tied him with for the most wins in program history. Griffin, a two-time ODAC Coach of the Year, has a record of 139-72 as he starts his ninth season at EMU.

The Royals have a huge test on the road tomorrow, playing at York (Pa.). The experienced Spartans, who are strangely not listed in the Coaches Poll but are No. 18 in the D3hoops.com preseason poll, were 20-7 last year. Also missing from the Coaches Poll is USA South preseason favorite Ferrum College, another road opponent for EMU (Dec. 7).

The games at York (Pa.) and Ferrum figure to be the two toughest contests for the Royals in the first half of the season before they get into the meat of their schedule against the much-improved Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

De Pauw University was a unanimous No. 1 in the Coaches Poll. No other ODAC teams beside EMU received any votes.

The Coaches Poll and the D3hoops.com Poll are the two “official” polls of D-III women’s basketball. EMU received one vote in the , but did not crack the top 25.

Men’s Basketball Receives National Votes

James De Boer — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:16:20 +0000

Despite losing their entire starting lineup, the Runnin Royals still have enough respect around the country to get a few nods. Or votes, as the case may be.

The Eastern Mennonite men received four votes in the D3hoops.com national poll, which was released today, effectively putting them in a tie for 51st place in the preseason list. EMU lost all five of their senior starters from last year’s 22-5 squad, which also went to the Elite Eight of the national tournament in 2009-10.

Showing the power of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, Virginia Wesleyan was tabbed as the No. 1 team in the country in the preseason poll. VWC finished last year No. 10 in the rankings after losing in the Sweet 16.

Hampden-Sydney was picked No. 23 in the preseason rankings, while Randolph-Macon also received votes, coming in at No. 36.

The official ODAC Preseason Poll will be announced at the league’s media day this Thursday in Salem.

The Runnin Royals start their season at home on Nov. 15 against future ODAC-opponent Shenandoah.

Before Win Over VWC, Runnin Royals Move Up To No. 14

James De Boer — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:51:39 +0000

The Eastern Mennonite men’s basketball team has moved up two more spots in the to No. 14. The rankings were released Monday night and were not affected by the Runnin Royals’ 86-71 win over now-No. 7 Virginia Wesleyan.

EMU is one of three ODAC teams in the top 14.

R.J. Sims (center) and the Runnin Royals are on a six-game winning streak.

George Johnson was perfect from the floor in the first half Runnin Royals’ win over Virginia Wesleyan.

After falling to No. 18 a few weeks ago, the men have moved up two spots each of the past two polls, coming up from No. 16 this week.

The Runnin Royals are on a six-game winning streak which includes impressive wins over Randolph, rival Bridgewater and now Virginia Wesleyan. The Marlins had entered Monday’s game in first place in the ODAC.

VWC, which has lost two in a row, slipped one spot to No. 7 after Saturday’s loss at Hampden-Sydney. Randolph-Macon, which took over first place in the ODAC standings after EMU’s win over Virginia Wesleyan, moved up two spots to No. 9.

Whitworth, the lone undefeated team in D-III, held on to the nation’s top spot for the second week, receiving 21 of 25 possible first place votes. Williams got the other four and remained in second.

Amherst, which had been 21-0, suffered a pair of losses last weekend and fell from No. 3 to No. 8.

Augustana, Middlebury and Wooster round out the top five. UW-Stevens Point, VWC, Amherst, R-MC and WPI are sixth through tenth.

Eastern Mennonite wraps up its regular season this week, playing its final home game Wednesday against Washington & Lee and then closing at Guilford Saturday afternoon.

The Runnin Royals are 19-4 overall and 10-4 in ODAC play, tied for third with the Quakers.

Few Changes In Poll As Men’s Basketball Stays At No. 18 in Nation

James De Boer — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:35:11 +0000

Even with last Saturday’s 116-89 thumping of Roanoke, the Runnin Royals held at No. 18 in this week’s D3hoops.com national poll. Only five teams in the top 25 lost since the previous poll, leaving few changes in the week nine list as Eastern Mennonite remained at its lowest rank of the season.

EMU is 14-4 overall and 5-4 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The men had a showdown with then-No. 7 Virginia Wesleyan postponed from last Wednesday to Feb. 14 because of snow.

The Marlins edged back up one spot to No. 6 this week, aided by Middlebury taking its first loss and falling four spots to No. 8. The top three in the nation held their spots with No. 1 Wooster being followed by Whitworth and Augustana.

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Williams and Amherst round out the top five, followed by VWC, St. Thomas and Middlebury. UW-River Falls and UW-Stevens Point are No. 9 and No. 10. ODAC-rival Randolph-Macon fell two spots to No. 11 after losing 62-61 Saturday at Guilford.

A fourth ODAC school, Randolph, continued to get a single vote but miss out on the top 25.

The Runnin Royals are at Lynchburg this Wednesday before hosting Randolph Saturday night as part of a men’s/women’s doubleheader in Yoder Arena. The EMU women host Roanoke at 4 p.m. before the men lock up with the WildCats at 7 p.m. Randolph beat EMU 64-61 on Jan. 22 in Lynchburg.

Men’s Basketball Team Takes Fourth In Final National Poll

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

After the most successful season in program history, the men’s basketball team finished with their highest national ranking ever.

Junior Todd Phillips Grabs First-Team All-America Honor

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Eastern Mennonite junior Todd Phillips from Waynesboro was named a D3hoops.com First Team All-American. He was also named First Team All-South Region by D3hoops.com and Second Team All-South Region by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Men’s Basketball Now Ranked 7th in Nation

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

On the strength of last Wednesday’s 90-67 romp over then-No. 1 Randolph-Macon, the Eastern Mennonite men’s basketball team jumped 11 spots this week to No. 7 in the D3hoops.com national poll.

Royal Men Ranked In National Poll For First Time Ever

James De Boer — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

For the first time in school history, Eastern Mennonite has cracked the top 25 of a national poll in men’s basketball. The Runnin Royals have already set the mark for best start in school history, and this week took the No. 24 spot in the D3hoops.com national ranking.