NCAA Regional Rankings

STEPHENVILLE - Tarleton is on pace to have its best season in school history and the TexAnns are one step closer to that Wednesday as the NCAA released the first regional rankings of the season.

The TexAnns (20-6, 13-3) are No. 9 in the first release of the South Central regional rankings, making this the highest rank Tarleton has received in school history. The 2008 TexAnns reached as high as No. 10.

This is the first season of the newly constructed South Central region, that includes the Lone Star, Heartland and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conferences.

The top eight teams in the region at the conclusion of the season will advance to the NCAA regional tournament as the home of the No. 1 seed.

Ahead of Tarleton in the top eight spots are: Regis (Colo.), Colorado Mines, Angelo State, Arkansas-Fort Smith, West Texas A&M, Adams State, Metro State and Colorado-Colorado Springs.

Tarleton still has four regular season games to play before advancing to the Lone Star Conference Tournament. They are currently the second-place team in the LSC.

The winner of each conference's Championship Tournament will receive an automatic berth in the regional tournament, no matter the team's ranking prior to the tournament.

The LSC Championship Tournament is scheduled for November 15-17 at the home court of the conference's top seed. Currently the top three seeds in the LSC are Angelo State, Tarleton and West Texas A&M, respectively.