Columbia, Mo. – This afternoon the NAIA national office announced its third regular season 2016-17 Division I Women's Basketball Top 25 Poll. Despite winning three of their last four games, with their only loss coming to top ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University earlier this month, the Cougars did not move in the rankings and remain twelfth in the NAIA.

The Cougars have been playing great basketball all season long and currently sit at 15-3 on the season and 9-3 in conference play. As a team, they rank in the top 10 nationally in several categories including fifth in total three point field goals made (154), sixth in free throw percentage (0.751), seventh in scoring margin (20.611), and 10^th in total steals (204). They have held their opponents to just 35 percent shooting from the field while allowing them to score just under 55 points per game, which is eighth in the NAIA.

On the offensive side of the ball, Columbia College currently has three starters that are averaging in double figures on the season including Ashlee Marlatt who leads the team with 12.6 points per game. Marlatt, a sophomore guard out of St. James, Missouri, ranks 25^th in the NAIA in three point field goals made (40) and leads the team in three point field goal shooting percentage (0.367). In addition to her efforts on the offensive end, Marlatt is also the leader on the defensive end. She currently leads the team, and sits 15^th nationally, with 42 steals on the season and is averaging 2.33 steals per game.

Although Marlatt has been the main contributor for the Cougars, Raegan Wieser and Morgan Brandt have played a big part in the team's success throughout the season. Wieser, a freshman forward out of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is averaging 11.3 points per game and has recorded a team high four double-doubles on the year. Brandt, a sophomore guard out of Loose Creek, Missouri, is averaging 11.1 points per game and is bringing down a team high eight rebounds per contest. She currently sits 29^th nationally in total rebounds (135) and has racked up three double-doubles on the season.

The Cougars are back in action on Thursday, January 19^th when they play host to Central Baptist (Ark.) College in an AMC contest. Columbia College defeated the Mustangs earlier this season by a score of 86-46 in both teams' first conference matchup of the season. The game is set to tip-off at 5:30 p.m. in the Southwell Athletic Complex.