INDIANAPOLIS -- For the fourth straight week, the Tusculum College Women's basketball team is seventh in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region rankings, released Wednesday afternoon.

The Pioneers, the defending NCAA II Southeast Region Champions, are 17-7 overall and 15-7 against regional opponents, and are one of three South Atlantic Conference teams in the rankings. Wingate is eighth with a 15-9 overall and in-region record. Lenoir-Rhyne, 13-10 against DII opponents, is ninth.

The tournament champions of the SAC, the Peach Belt Conference and Conference Carolinas will earn automatic bids to the NCAA Southeast Regional tournament, along with five at-large selections. The Peach Belt has six teams included in this week's rankings: Clayton State (1st), Lander (2nd), USC Aiken (3rd), Georgia College (4th) Francis Marion (5th), and Columbus State (10th). Conference Carolinas' lone representative in the rankings is Barton in sixth place.

Regional rankings will be released weekly on Wednesdays through March 2, with the tournament field to be announced on Sunday, March 6.

The Pioneers, who wrapped up the SAC regular-season title with a 53-43 win at Lenoir-Rhyne on Wednesday night, close the regular season Saturday at 2 p.m. at Mars Hill.

- NCAA -

NCAA II Women's Basketball Southeast Region Ranking
through February 20, 2011
Rk. School Overall In-Region
1. Clayton State 25-0 25-0
2. Lander 23-1 24-1
3. USC Aiken 20-3 21-4
4. Georgia College 16-6 16-6
5. Francis Marion 14-8 14-8
6. Barton 21-3 21-3
7. TUSCULUM 15-7 17-7
8. Wingate 15-9 15-9
9. Lenoir-Rhyne 13-10 13-10
10. Columbus State 13-9 13-9