In its consistent climb up the charts this season, the NIU women’s basketball team finds itself up one more notch in both the Associated Press poll and the USA Today.

Although the Huskies are not a blockbuster hit in the Top 10, Jane Albright and her team come in this week at No. 23 in both polls—up one spot from last week. Even though NIU lost a tough game to Vanderbilt last week, the Huskies managed to bump it up. Vanderbilt had been on a rollercoaster ride all season, finding itself on and off the chart.

This week Vanderbilt hops into the No. 25 position. Tennessee, a team the Huskies lost to Monday night, are ranked fifth.

NIU’s 83-62 defeat to the Lady Volunteers should have little impact on the Huskies’ rank next week, but it could put a strain on how many more losses NIU can allow.

This season, the Huskies (17-4) have lost to South Carolina (No. 19), Stephen F. Austin (No. 9), Vanderbilt (No. 25) and Tennessee (No. 5). Key victories this season include Northwestern (No. 15) and DePaul, a team that hovers just outside the Top 25.

NIU began its chartbusting last season after knocking off North Carolina State in the championship round of the Fastbreak Fest and home victory against DePaul. Since that time, the Huskies have been a threat to the charts.

DePaul returns to Chick Evans Field House Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. NIU is hoping to not only knock off the Blue Demons, but steal the state of Illinois’ college women’s basketball attendance record. Albright even mentions the word sellout. The fieldhouse hasn’t seen a major college crowd since the days of former Huskie Kenny Battle.