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S.D. – Jamestown (N.D.) is the unanimous favorite to win the North Star Athletic Association(NSAA) Women’s Basketball conference title, the NSAA women’s basketball coaches’ preseason poll was announced Monday. The Jimmies received seven first-place votes and totaled 49 points in the poll.

Jamestown won the NSAA conference regular-season title with an 9-1 record and postseason tournament championship, advancing to the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Tournament last season.

The Jimmies’ run ended by Concordia (Neb.) in the quarterfinals round of the NAIA National Tournament, finishing
their 2014-15 season with an overall record of 26-7.

Mayville State (N.D.) picked up the final first-place vote and scored 40 points to finish second in the preseason coaches’ poll. Valley City State (N.D.) edged out Dickinson State (N.D.) 36-32 for third place. 

Dakota State (S.D.) was chosen to finish fifth (26 points), followed by Presentation (S.D.) sixth (17 points). Both NSAA newcomers Viterbo (Wis.) and Waldorf (Iowa) finished in a tie for seventh place with 12 points.

The NSAA conference season gets underway on Friday night (Oct. 30) as Valley City State hosts Viterbo. The conference postseason tournament begins on Feb. 24, 2016, concluding with a championship game on Feb. 28 at the highest remaining seed.

The NSAA’s tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa on March 9-15, 2016.

Points are awarded on a 7-1 basis and coaches could not vote for their own team.

Here is the complete 2015-16 NSAA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll:

1 Jamestown (N.D.) (7) 49
2 Mayville State (N.D.) (1) 40
3 Valley City State (N.D.) 36
4 Dickinson State (N.D.) 32
5 Dakota State (S.D.) 26
6 Presentation (S.D.) 17
T7 Viterbo (Wis.) 12
T7 Waldorf (Iowa) 12
*First-place votes in parenthesis