INDIANAPOLIS -- After a thrilling win on the road at Point Loma this past Monday, Academy of Art University women's basketball made program history in Wednesday's announcement of the NCAA Division II Regional rankings. The Urban Knights have earned a sixth place ranking in the West Region, their highest ever since the program reached seventh at the end of the 2013-14 season.

"Very proud of the girls and season they have had," said head coach LaNay Larson. "Our conference is so challenging this year and, on top of the non-conference schedule, their body of work over the season has landed them in a good position in a very tough region. Again, we stress one game at a time so we are focused on Dominican on Saturday."

Academy of Art University currently boasts a 21-6 overall record and, at 16-1 in conference, is one of three teams who have clinched a spot in the Pacific West Conference Tournament (Mar. 3-5) which will determine the winner of an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Statistically one of the top teams in all of NCAA Division II, ART U came into this week ranking fifth in the country in turnover margin (+8.26), ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.28), 10th in scoring offense (80.4 points per game) and offensive rebounds per game (17.0), and 17th in steals per game (11.2).

The Urban Knights were one of four PacWest schools in the West Region's Top 10, behind Azusa Pacific at No. 3 and California Baptist at No. 4, but ahead of Point Loma at No. 9.

ART U will play Dominican this Saturday, Feb. 20 in its final regular season road game before hosting California Baptist on Tuesday, Feb. 23.