PROVIDENCE, R.I.-The University of Southern Maine women's basketball team is ranked No. 2 in the first edition of the NCAA Northeast Regional rankings, released by the NCAA Regional Selection Committee this afternoon. Tufts University sits atop the rankings, joined by three other NESCAC institutions in the eight-team field.

The NCAA regional selection committee use the following criteria based on the games through Feb. 10, 2008 to determine their initial rankings: in-region record, overall record, opponents winning percentage, and opponents opponents winning percentage. The number of ranked teams is relative to the number of teams in the each of the eight regions.

Under the stewardship of Head Coach Gary Fifield, Southern Maine has won 11 of its past 12 contests to earn the No. 13 ranking in the ESPN/WBCA Division III Coaches' Poll. The Huskies (19-2) are ranked among the national leaders in the latest NCAA statistical report in win-loss percentage (9th, 90.5), scoring margin (13th, 19.5), field goal percentage defense (14th, 32.7), field goal percentage (16th, 45.0), assists per game (20th, 16.6), and scoring defense (24th, 52.8). Southern Maine decisively defeated intra-state rival No. 6 Bowdoin College, 77-58, on Nov. 27, while falling at No. 5 Salem State College, 74-58, on Dec. 15, 2007. 

Junior forward Stacey Kent (Northwood, N.H.) paces the high-powered offensive attack with 14.5 points per game. Kent has reached double digits in scoring 15 times this season, scoring at least 20 points six times. Senior forward Josalee Danieli (New Gloucester, Maine) and classmate forward Shannon Kynoch (South Burlington, Vt.) have each gathered a team-best 5.6 rebounds per game, while sophomore guard Nicole Paradis (Skowhegan, Maine) has dished out 68 assists on the campaign.

The second installment of NCAA regional rankings will be released on Wednesday, Feb. 20.

Northeast Region

1. Tufts 19-2 19-2 .648 .569
2. Southern Maine 19-2 19-2 .568 .557
3. Amherst 20-2 21-2 .550 .562
4. Brandeis 15-4 15-5 .620 .580
5. Salem State 16-2 16-4 .573 .544
6. Bowdoin 15-3 17-5 .612 .560
7. Williams 15-6 16-6 .615 .570
8. Bridgewater State 16-2 16-4 .473 .527