The high expectations for the Concordia College Alabama Lady Hornets aren’t going anywhere.

One year after the CCA women won their fourth United States Collegiate Athletic Association national championship, the Lady Hornets are ranked No. 1 in the first USCAA Division I coaches poll of the season. CCA (8-3) lost its first three games of the season — all on the road — but have bounced back with eight straight wins going into Christmas break.

This is the first time in school history that the Lady Hornets have been ranked No. 1 in the USCAA polls. Last season, CCA won the national championship despite being the last team into the eight-team field.

“It is just a testament to their work,” CCA coach Eric Jackson said.

“They work so hard… Our motivation is to put the USCAA on notice that we are not an eight seed, we are a one seed.”

The top-ranking may last for a while, considering the Lady Hornets won’t play again during the month of December.

CCA’s next game is Jan. 12.

“It’s an eternity but it’s just about how bad they want to win it,” Jackson said. “They have to put forth the effort themselves. That means staying in shape over the break and getting some running in.”

It’s not hard to see why the Lady Hornets have been successful this season.

CCA ranks third in Division I in field goal percentage (45.9), sixth in rebounds per game (46.5), first in fewest turnovers per game (12.3), and seventh in scoring average (73.6).

“We are 8-3, but we are not playing our best basketball yet,” Jackson said.

The CCA women received 299 voting points in the first poll and are followed closely behind by Indiana University South Bend (285), Carlow University (284), University of Dallas (270) and Iowa Wesleyan College.

The USCAA poll ranks the top 20 teams in each division in the USCAA.

The Concordia men are also ranked in the first coaches’ poll of the season, coming in at No. 16.

The men also made the USCAA national championship tournament last season as the eighth overall seed.