Story courtesy UND Media Relations
Oct. 24, 2001
Grand Forks, ND — The University of North Dakota women's basketball team, which went 29-4 last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II national championship game, is ranked #3 in the nation in the Women's Division II Bulletin's 2001-2002 preseason preview issue. Topping the rankings is 2001 national champion Cal Poly Pomona (27-3 in 2001), which has four of its five starters from last year returning. Ranked second is Bentley (31-3), a regional finalist in 2001.
Preseason Top Ten
1. Cal Poly Pomona (27-3 in 2001)
2. Bentley (31-3)
3. UND (29-4)
4. Bloomsburg (24-7)
5. Northern Kentucky (25-5)
6. Delta State (32-3)
7. North Dakota State (25-8)
8. Emporia State (29-2)
9. Southern Indiana (28-4)
10. Catawba (25-5)
No other NCC school was ranked in the top 25. Nebraska-Kearney (#11) and Minnesota-Duluth (#18), both from the North Central Region, were placed in the top 25.
The Bulletin went on to rank the top of the North Central Conference this way: #1 North Dakota, #2 North Dakota State and #3 South Dakota. The NCC Preseason Player of the Year is junior Missy Borell of Northern Colorado.
UND junior Jenny Boll, an All-NCC selection in 2001 and the lone returning starter to this year’s Sioux team, was named honorable mention Preseason All-American. Borell and senior Kim Towe of Minnesota-Duluth were the two players selected from the North Central Region among WDIIB's Super 16 Selections. Boll, along with fellow NCC players senior Amanda Gehrke of North Dakota State and senior Tamera Oltmanns of Augustana, were named honorable mention.