V-Hawks Picked Fifth in the NSAA
LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Women's Basketball team has been picked to finish fifth in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced on this week.
Viterbo, who earned 34 points in the poll, finished last year 11-12 and 6-8 in NSAA play.
Dakota State (S.D.) was unanimously selected to repeat as conference champions this year. The Trojans went 13-1 in conference last year, and their only loss came at the hands of the V-Hawks.
Mayville State (N.D.) was picked to finish second in the preseason poll after totaling 55 points in the poll, and Bellevue (Neb.) placed third with 47 points. Valley City State barely edged out Viterbo with 35 points, and Dickinson State was sixth with 29 points.
Presentation and Waldorf came in seventh and eight with 15 points and 9 points.
Points are awarded on an 8-1 basis and coaches could vote for their own team.
Each NSAA members will be playing a total of 14 conference games this season, with each team playing home and away games during the conference season.
The 2022-23 NAIA Women's Basketball season gets underway on Thursday.
Head Coach Lionel Jones (5th season) the V-Hawks, led by returning Second-Team All-Conference guard Kaitlyn Kennedy, kick off their season on Sunday. October 30 at St. Ambrose (Iowa).
The NSAA conference season begins on Dec. 3 with four games on schedule, with traveling partners playing each other. Viterbo welcomes Waldorf, Dickinson State travels to Valley City State, Mayville State hosts Presentation, and Dakota State visits Bellevue,. All those teams will switch sites on their final regular-season contests on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023
All eight North Star members will compete in the women's basketball postseason conference tournament, which is set for Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, at four higher seeds. The four opening round winners will move on to the Final Four tournament held at Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D., on Feb. 26-27, 2023.
The North Star Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament's champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament's Opening Round scheduled for March 7-8, 2023. The winner of the national tournament's opening round will advance to the final site in Sioux City, Iowa from March 13-18, 2023.