Columbia, Mo. – This afternoon the NAIA national office announced its fifth regular season 2016-17 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Cougars, who ranked 13^th in the last poll, moved up one spot to 12^th after going 4-0 since the last poll was released including a 64-52 win over 24^th ranked Lindenwood University-Belleville (Ill.) on February 2^nd.

Columbia College is currently 22-4 on the season and sit third in the American Midwest Conference with a 16-4 conference record. The Cougars are 3.5 games behind the top ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University Lions and 1.5 games behind ninth ranked Lyon (Ark.) College. Columbia has been a dynamic team all season long and rank second in the NAIA in 3-point field goals made per game (9.077) and total 3-point field goals made (236). In addition, they rank 6^th in scoring defense per game (54.923), seventh in 3-point field goal percentage defense (0.259), and 10^th in both scoring margin (20.231) and turnover margin (5.077).

The Cougars have been on a tear as of late and have beaten their last three opponents by an average of nearly 35 points per game. Ashlee Marlatt, a sophomore guard from St. James, Missouri, has been the key to Columbia's offense this season as she is leading the team in points (12.23), assists (2.58), and steals per game (2.08) while ranking 19^th nationally in 3-point field goals made (61). Morgan Brandt, a sophomore out of Loose Creek, Missouri, has also been playing well and leads the team in rebounding per game (8.40) while racking up a team high six double-doubles.

Columbia College is back in action on Thursday, February 16^th when they host the top ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University Lions. The Cougars will look to avenge their loss from earlier in the season to the Lions when they were defeated by a final score of 67-44 in Henderson, Tennessee. The game is set to tip-off at 5:30 p.m. in the Southwell Athletic Complex.