INDIANAPOLIS (March 5) – The California (PA) men's basketball team dropped one position to ninth in the latest NCAA Atlantic regional rankings, which were released on Wednesday afternoon.

The NCAA regional rankings determine the participants for the NCAA Tournament. The Atlantic Region consists of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), Mountain East Conference (MEC) and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). All three conference tournament champions receive an automatic bid with the top-five remaining teams in the final regional rankings receiving at-large bids.

Half of the 10 teams in rankings shifted positions this week and a pair of teams debuted in the rankings for the first time this year. West Liberty (25-3) remains first in the Atlantic Region after closing the regular season on a 13-game winning streak. Gannon (22-6) continues to sit second in the regional rankings after stretching its winning streak to six games. Virginia State (20-8) vaulted three positions to third after capturing the CIAA Championship for the first time since 2019, while Fayetteville State (20-8) slipped to fourth following a loss in the semifinals of the CIAA Tournament. West Chester (23-5) stayed at fifth after winning the PSAC East outright for the first time since 2006.

Fairmont State (23-4) climbed one position to sixth after winning eight of its last nine games to end the regular season. East Stroudsburg (21-7) tumbled three slots to seventh after losing at home in its final game of the regular season, while Bluefield State (18-11) debuted in the rankings at eighth following an appearance in the finals of the CIAA Tournament. Cal (16-11) dropped one position to ninth after splitting two games last week and Charleston (WV) (18-9) was slotted 10th in its initial time in the rankings this year.

Note, rankings and records are reflective thru games as of Sunday, March 2.

The Vulcans continue to boast one of the toughest strength of schedules in the region behind only Virginia Union and West Liberty. The rankings do not reflect the results of any games played in the PSAC Tournament and MEC Tournament, which includes losses by regionally-ranked teams West Chester (fifth) and East Stroudsburg (seventh) on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament.

The final rankings and selections for the NCAA Tournament will be announced on Sunday, March 9, at 11 p.m. EST.