NSIC Release

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference announced Friday that the Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team has been picked 11th in its coaches' preseason poll.  The Mustangs received 66 points in the poll, which was voted on by the conference's 14 head coaches.

Defending NCAA Division II national champion Minnesota State, Mankato received nine first-place votes and 176 points to take the top spot in the poll.  Concordia- St. Paul, Augustana and Winona State also received first-place votes and checked in at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5, respectively.

Minnesota Duluth's Jheri Booker was named the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year.  SMSU junior guard Tori Fink (North Fond du Lac, Wis.) was named a “NSIC Player to Watch.”

The Mustangs, who finished 14-16 (6-14 NSIC) last season, will play one exhibition game at home against Bethel on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. before opening the regular season at home on Nov. 20 and 21 when Truman (Mo.) and Hillsdale (Mich.) come to Marshall for the SMSU Classic.

2009-10 NSIC Coaches Preseason Poll       
    Team; Points
1. Minnesota State (9); 176
2. Concordia-St. Paul (2); 154
3. Augustana (2); 145
4. MSU Moorhead; 142
5. Winona State (1); 140
6. Minnesota Duluth; 131
7. Wayne State; 111
8. St. Cloud State; 99
9. Mary; 96
10. Northern State; 73
11. Southwest Minnesota State; 66
12. Minnesota, Crookston; 55
13. Bemidji State; 37
14. Upper Iowa; 32
( ) First Place Votes