BILLINGS — Montana State Billings is ranked No. 6 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association preseason Division II top 25.
The Yellowjackets, coming off a 28-7 season and a run to the NCAA Division II West Regional title game, received 398 voting points in the poll.
🏀 𝑩𝑰𝑮 𝑹𝑬𝑷𝑼𝑻𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵, 𝑾𝑬’𝑹𝑬 𝑺𝑰𝑿𝑻𝑯 𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 🏀#MSUBSports #MSUBWBB #RightNow pic.twitter.com/QdB4fHMw8q
— MSUB Women's Basketball (@MSUBWBB) October 29, 2024
The Jackets are ranked behind No. 1 Minnesota State Mankato (20 first-place votes), No. 2 Texas Woman's University (one first-place vote), No. 3 Grand Valley State (two first place votes), No. 4 Tampa and No. 5 Ashland (Ohio).
“We always have high expectations,” longtime MSUB coach Kevin Woodin stated in a press release. “We expect to win every time we go out on the floor, and because of that and with all the experience we bring back I think there’s a lot of excitement for this year.”
Last week, MSU Billings was picked second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll. The Yellowjackets received the most first-place votes — five — but fell one point shy of the top spot behind Western Washington.
The Jackets got 90 total voting points to 91 for WWU. Western Washington picked up four first-place votes. WWU was not ranked in the preseason top 25.
MSUB brings back a core group of veterans in guards Kortney Nelson and Aspen Giese and forward Dyauni Boyce. Boyce is the reigning GNAC defensive player of the year.
The Jackets have won two exhibition games and open the 2024-25 season on Friday at the D2CCAA Tipoff Classic at the Trailhead on Friday.
To see the WBCA's Division II preseason top 25, click here.
