For the first time in 32 years, William and Mary has received votes in the national top-25 polls. Fresh off a 75-74 win over VCU, the Tribe (6-2, 1-0 CAA) earned two votes in the fourth AP poll of the year, and three in the ESPN/USA Today poll. That ranks the College as the 53rd overall team by the AP, and as the 46th best squad by the ESPN/USA Today voters. No other CAA teams received a vote.
The previous time that the College had received votes in either poll was during the 1977-1978 season, after a 9-1 start that included a win over no. 2 North Carolina.
The Tribe has marquee wins over Richmond, Wake Forest, and VCU so far this season. In the AP poll, Richmond clocked in at 39th with 17 votes, while Wake Forest was 38th with seven votes in ESPN/USA Today. Richmond is 42nd, with five votes, in that poll.
After a break for fall exams, the College will resume play on Dec. 18 against Vassar at Kaplan Arena. That will be followed by road trips to Radford and Maryland on Dec. 22 and 30, before the squad resumes CAA play at Hofstra on Jan. 2.