ST. PAUL, Minn.---The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) saw an exciting finish to a shortened 2020-21 season with three teams earning a share of the regular season title. Heading into a more-normal regular season in 2021-22, those three teams should be in a position to battle for the title again.
Bethany Lutheran College was among that three-way team tie for the title and is expected to earn a third-consecutive title as the unanimous favorite in the 2021-22 UMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Tuesday.
The Vikings earned 49 points with seven first place votes, while the reigning co-champions in the University of Northwestern and North Central University weren’t far behind. Northwestern was tabbed second with 41 points and one first place vote, and North Central was third with 26 points.
Bethany Lutheran returns a loaded lineup to help its pursuit of another title. Back-to-Back UMAC Player of the Year Hanna Geistfeld is back following an All-American season in the spring in which she averaged 25.0 points per game (ppg) and 10.0 rebounds per game (rpg). Joining Geistfeld is three-time All-UMAC First Team selection Abby Olson who averaged 14.8 ppg in 2021-22. Rookie of the Year Sara Kottke is also one of four returning starters for the Vikings who will help add to the scoring after averaging 10.0 ppg last year.
The Eagles earned a share of their first title since 2014-15 and will look for similar success returning three All-UMAC performers from last season. Megan Roberts leads that trio after earning All-Region accolades in a season where she averaged 16.7 ppg and 10.4 rpg. Brooklyn DeKam and Kelsea Lund were All-UMAC Second Team honorees averaging double figures in scoring and over 2 assists per game (apg).
North Central won its first UMAC championship in program history and brings back all five starters from that storybook year into this season. First Team selection Emily DiGiorgio averaged 17.0 ppg to lead the Rams and should be their top threat this year. Kadija Conteh and Naomi Hagstrom each added over 14.0 ppg to help create a triple threat offensively for the Rams.
The University of Minnesota Morris and the University of Wisconsin-Superior will be positioned to fight for the fourth-and-final playoff position as predicted by the coaches. The Cougars placed fourth in the poll with 31 points while the Yellowjackets were fifth with 27 points. The two teams finished in that order, respectively, in the shorted 2020-21 season.
Minnesota Morris will lean heavily on senior First Team All-UMAC guard Lexus Eagle Chasing who averaged 17.3 ppg and 5.6 rpg. Jadyn Sondrol should add to the scoring with her 11.5 ppg from last year which earned Honorable Mention honors, while Jay Kwateh should help defensively.
Wisconsin-Superior brings back leading scorers from last season in Kaija Davies and Kaelyn Christian who were All-UMAC selections and averaged over 12 ppg. The Yellowjackets welcome back all but one starter from a year ago for veteran leadership.
The poll rounds out with Martin Luther College sixth (18 points), Northland College seventh (14 points) and Crown College eighth (8 points). Erika Gosch is the top returning scorer for the Knights having averaged 13.0 ppg last year. Honorable Mention pick Miranda Wagner scored 16.0 ppg for the LumberJills and should lead the team this season, while Crown has a trio of players who averaged 9.0 ppg in McKenzie Latzke, Dominque Urbina and Amy Martius.
Non-conference competition is expected to being Friday, Nov. 5 for many programs. The conference slate of games begins Friday, Dec. 10. This season, UMAC teams will play at home or on the road in back-to-back contests on Fridays and Saturdays due to a change in schedule format with conference membership changes.
2021-22 UMAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Pl. | School | Pts. |
| 1. | Bethany Lutheran | 49 (7) |
| 2. | Northwestern | 41 (1) |
| 3. | North Central | 36 |
| 4. | Minnesota Morris | 31 |
| 5. | Wisconsin-Superior | 27 |
| 6. | Martin Luther | 18 |
| 7. | Northland | 14 |
| 8. | Crown | 8 |