LILBURN, Ga.- The University of Sioux Falls Women's Basketball team, directed by head coach
Travis Traphagen, received votes in the 2019-20 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll released by the WBCA on Thursday.
The Cougars, who were 23-8 a year ago, received nine votes to be nationally ranked after being picked to finish first in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) South Division, second overall, only behind MSU Moorhead (27-7 in 2019) in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll.Â
Led by senior
Kaely Hummel, the NSICÂ South Preseason Player of the Year, and a deep and talented roster, USF advanced to the NSIC Postseason Tournament for the fourth straight year in 2018-19. USF won the tournament in 2015-16 and finishing runner-up in 2016-17. USF lost to MSU Moorhead in the league semifinals a year ago.
With the top nine of the 10 top returning scorers back, USF will look to win their first-ever NSIC regular season title. USF returns 13 letter winners and five starters along with the addition of several talented transfers and freshmen standouts.
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| RANK |
SCHOOL |
2019 RECORD |
POINTS |
FINAL RANK |
| 1 |
Drury (8) |
35-1 |
550 |
3 |
| 2 |
Lubbock Christian (14) |
31-6 |
538 |
1 |
| 3 |
Grand Valley State |
29-4 |
458 |
8 |
| 4 |
Azusa Pacific |
28-6 |
436 |
9 |
| 5 |
Virginia Union |
28-3 |
404 |
13 |
| 6 |
UC San Diego |
30-1 |
394 |
6 |
| 7 |
Fort Hays State |
32-2 |
368 |
5 |
| 8 |
Ashland |
29-3 |
333 |
11 |
| 9 |
Indiana (Pa) |
30-4 |
330 |
4 |
| 10 |
Saint Anselm |
22-10 |
328 |
14 |
| 11 |
Central Missouri (1) |
25-7 |
295 |
NR |
| 12 |
West Texas A&M |
29-4 |
264 |
23 |
| 13 |
Anderson (SC) |
30-3 |
251 |
22 |
| 14 |
Lee |
25-7 |
247 |
NR |
| 15 |
Nova Southeastern |
21-12 |
228 |
16 |
| 16 |
Alaska Anchorage |
30-3 |
225 |
7 |
| 17 |
USciences |
30-3 |
174 |
12 |
| 18 |
MSU Moorhead |
27-7 |
172 |
NR |
| 19 |
Le Moyne |
26-6 |
151 |
NR |
| 20 |
Southwestern Oklahoma State |
36-1 |
150 |
2 |
| 21 |
Lander |
23-9 |
139 |
NR |
| 22 |
Glenville State |
30-3 |
133 |
25 |
| 23 |
North Georgia |
30-5 |
132 |
15 |
| 24 |
Angelo State |
26-6 |
98 |
19 |
| 25 |
Benedict |
20-7 |
73 |
NR |
Dropped out:Â No. 10 Northwest Nazarene (29-3); No. 17 Thomas Jefferson (29-3); No. 18 Bentley (28-4); No. 20 Florida Southern (30-4); No. 21 California (PA) (26-6); No. 24 Union (TN) (27-4).
Others receiving votes on at least two ballots:Â Union (TN) (27-4) 61; California (PA) (26-6) 53; Northwest Nazarene (29-3) 53; Lewis (27-5) 50; Harding (21-9) 39; Tampa (22-9) 34; Thomas Jefferson (29-3) 30; Bentley (28-4) 29; Emporia State (22-9) 28; Stonehill (20-10) 23; LeMoyne-Owen (14-12) 19; Colorado Mesa (27-4) 18; Florida Southern (30-4) 17; Carson-Newman (22-8) 16; Michigan Tech (21-9) 10; Central Washington (18-11) 9; Sioux Falls (23-8) 9; Westminster (UT) (21-9) 9; Walsh (25-7) 6; Bowie State (22-6) 2.
10 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 89 combined points.
