Women's Basketball | 10/20/2016 11:25:34 AM
Virtual Media Day Link
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After winning the MIAA post-season tournament last year the Lady Hornets of Emporia State have been picked at the top of the MIAA preseason coaches poll receiving 12 total first place votes. Pittsburg State got the two other first place votes after making a run through the regional tournament and into the elite eight last season.
Washburn has been picked third by the coaches and are just five points ahead of Fort Hays State. The Tigers are just three points ahead of last year’s regular season champions Missouri Western who is pciked fifth in this years poll.
Things tighten up in the six, seven and eight spot as Central Oklahoma sits at the top of that group with 96 points which is just one point ahead of Nebraska-Kearney who earned the seventh spot in the poll. Central Missouri is just six points behind that for eighth in the poll. Missouri Southern is just six points behind the Jennies as they check at the number nine spot in this year’s poll.
Southwest Baptist earns the tenth spot in the poll coming in ahead of Northeastern State who was selected 11th by the coaches. Lindenwood is just three points behind the RiverHawks in the 12th spot with Northwest Missouri 13th and Lincoln picked 14th this year.
Exhibition play for the women’s basketball teams is slated to begin on Oct. 30 with teams taking to the court for real starting on Friday, Nov. 11. League play is slated to get underway on Nov. 30 with team pushing towards the MIAA Championship which will run Feb. 28, March 3-5 of 2017 for the women from campus sites and Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
2016-17 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Emporia State (12) 168
2. Pittsburg State (2) 156
3. Washburn 132
4. Fort Hays State 127
5. Missouri Western 124
6. Central Oklahoma 96
7. Nebraska-Kearney 95
8. Central Missouri 89
9. Missouri Southern 83
10. Southwest Baptist 75
11. Northeastern State 43
12. Lindenwood 40
13. Northwest Missouri 31
14. Lincoln 15