HICKORY, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne women's basketball team is ranked #1 in the first of two numerical NCAA Regional Rankings. 

Head coach Emry Tsitouris and the Bears currently sport a record of 22-4 (18-2 SAC) and are riding a 17-game win streak. The Bears are looking to qualify for their eighth NCAA Tournament in program history and the third in four years. Lenoir-Rhyne has been a #1 seed twice, in 2009 and 2014. The Bears earned their only NCAA Tournament victory during that 2009 season, defeating Anderson in the first round before falling to Francis Marion in the next day. 

There will be one more list of rankings next week before the official NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, March 8, at 10:30 p.m. The top eight teams in the region qualify for the NCAA Tournament. 

Southeast Region Rankings
1. Lenoir-Rhyne
2. Lincoln Memorial
3. Columbus State
4. Coker
5. Carson-Newman
6. Francis Marion
7. Wingate
8. North Georgia
9. Belmont Abbey
10. USC Beaufort