The Drake University women's basketball team is ranked No. 25 in Monday's The Associated Press' women's college basketball poll. Drake, which is 20-4 overall and 13-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play this season, is ranked for the first time since Dec. 3, 2001 and the 12^th time in program history.
 
The Bulldogs are off to the best-ever start in conference play in MVC history after their wins over Bradley and Illinois State this past weekend. Drake is the first MVC team to be ranked since Wichita State on Feb. 11, 2014.
 
"It is a tremendous honor and recognition for Drake and the Missouri Valley Conference," said head coach Jennie Baranczyk. "We have a tough league with some great teams. We are really honored to be in the rankings and we are going to continue to work on getting better and having fun. What is really exciting is after this upcoming weekend on the road, we will come home for our last three games and get to play in front of our fans at the Knapp Center."
 
Drake travels to Terre Haute, Ind., to face Indiana State on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. The contest will be broadcast online via The Valley on ESPN3. The Bulldogs return to the Knapp Center on Feb. 24 to face in-state rival UNI at 7 p.m. for the program's annual Pink Game.