ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2024-25 Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Wednesday with the University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets being predicted to win the regular season championship. The poll is voted on by all the head coaches in the conference.
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2024-25 UMAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. UW-Superior | 48 (6)
2. Minnesota Morris | 42 (1)
3. Northwestern | 38 (1)
4. Bethany Lutheran | 28
5. North Central | 25
6. Martin Luther | 23
7. Crown | 13
8. Northland | 7
The 2024-25 women’s basketball regular season opens on Saturday, November 9. The top four teams in the standings at the close of the regular season will compete in the UMAC Tournament, with the semifinals scheduled for Wednesday, February 26 and the championship game slated for Saturday, March 1. The tournament champion will receive the UMAC’s automatic qualifying bid to the 2025 NCAA DIII Women’s Basketball Championship to compete in the national tournament.
#1: UW-Superior Yellowjackets (48 Points, 6 First-Place Votes)
The Yellowjackets led the preseason poll with 48 points and six first-place votes from their conference competitors. Last year, UW-Superior went 18-9 overall with a 13-1 record in the UMAC to win the Women’s Basketball Regular Season Championship.
The Yellowjackets entered the 2023-24 UMAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed. UW-Superior defeated the No. 4 North Central Rams 72-59 in the semifinals but would fall to the No. 2 Minnesota Morris Cougars 69-60 in the championship game.
Their 2023-24 regular season championship was the Yellowjackets’ fifth title in program history and their first under Coach Carpenter.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Elise Besonen, Sr., Guard
- 2024 UMAC POY, 2024 First-Team All-UMAC
- 14.8 ppg, 3.7 reb/g, 90.6 FT%
- Charlotte Ferstl, So., Forward
- 2024 All-UMAC HM
- 9.7 ppg, 7.3 reb/g, 1.4 blk/g
- MyKenzie Leccia, Jr., Guard
- 2024 All-UMAC Defensive Team
- 8.1 ppg, 4.3 reb/g, 2.4 stl/g
#2: Minnesota Morris Cougars (42 Points, 1 First-Place Vote)
The University of Minnesota Morris Cougars placed second in the preseason poll with 42 points and one first-place vote. The Cougars placed second in the regular season last winter with an 11-3 UMAC record while going 17-11 overall.
Minnesota Morris was the No. 2 seed in the 2023-24 UMAC Tournament. The Cougars defeated the No. 3 Northwestern Eagles 70-65 in the semifinals to advance to the championship game. Minnesota Morris would upset the No. 1 UW-Superior Yellowjackets 69-60 in the championship game to earn the UMAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. In the opening round of the national tournament, the Cougars fell to the UW-Whitewater Warhawks.
The UMAC Tournament Championship title was the first for Minnesota Morris since 2015.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Maddy Grove, So., Guard
- D3Hoops Region 9 Rookie of the Year, Third Team All-Region, UMAC Rookie of the Year, First Team All-Conference,
- 18.1 pts, 4.1 rebs, 2.1 steals per game (UMAC)
- Claire Stark, So., Forward
- 10.9 pts, 4.5 rebs per game (UMAC)
- Shelby Mortenson, Jr., Forward
- 9.5 pts, 5.5 rebs, 62% FG (UMAC)
#3: Northwestern Eagles (38 Points, 1 First-Place Vote)
The University of Northwestern Eagles took third in the preseason poll with 38 points and one first-place vote. UNW finished third in the 2023-24 regular season with a 9-5 conference record, going 16-10 overall.
As the No. 3 seed in the 2023 UMAC Tournament, Northwestern fell 79-65 to the eventual champions: No. 2 Minnesota Morris Cougars.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Jasmine Sondrol, Sr., Forward
- 2024 Second Team All-Conference, 2023 UMAC Honorable Mention
- 8.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.9 b/g
- Lexi Hagen, Sr., Guard
- 2x First Team All-Conference, 2022 UMAC Honorable Mention, 2023 First Team NCCAA All-American, 2024 Third Team NCCAA All-American
- 13.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg
- Grace Landvik, Sr., Guard
#4: Bethany Lutheran Vikings (28 Points)
The Bethany Lutheran College Vikings placed fourth in the preseason poll with 28 points. Last year, BLC finished tied for fourth in the UMAC with a 7-7 conference record, going 7-18 overall.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Lexiss Trygg, Sr., Forward
- 2024 Second Team All-Conference
- 11.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg
- Aubrea Kor, So., Forward
- 2024 Honorable Mention
- 10.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg
- Gianna Klarenbeek, So., Guard
- 2024 Second Team All-Conference
- 13.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg
#5: North Central Rams (25 Points)
The North Central Rams placed fifth in the preseason poll with 25 points. NCU finished tied for fourth in the conference last year with a 7-7 UMAC record and a 13-16 overall record.
The Rams earned the No. 4 seed in the UMAC Tournament. NCU was defeated by No. 1 UW-Superior 72-59 in the semifinals.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Kaitlyn VanderPloeg, Sr., Center
- 2nd Team All-Conference, NCCAA All-Region
- 12.6PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.9 BPG
- NiNi Davenport, So., Guard
- NCCAA All Region
- 9.1 PPG, 3 RPG
- Brycelyn Brewster, Jr., Guard
- 5.8 PPG, 2.5 APG, 2.2 RPG
#6: Martin Luther Knights (23 Points)
The Martin Luther College Knights placed sixth in the preseason poll with 23 points. MLC finished tied for fourth in the UMAC last year with a 7-7 UMAC record and a 12-13 overall record.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Lauren Paulsen, Sr., Guard/Forward
- UMAC Defensive Team, Honorable Mention All-UMAC in 2023-24 season
- 10.2 ppg, Led MLC in blocks (21), 4th in UMAC in steals (59)
- Emma Dorn, 5th, Forward
- UMAC Honorable Mention in 2023-24, UMAC Second Team in 2022-23
- Led team with 7.6 rpg, Second on team in ppg (10.5)
- Lydia Feidt, Jr., Guard
- 10.2 ppg, Led MLC with a 42.4 field goal percentage, 40 steals in 2023-24
#7: Crown Polars (13 Points)
The Crown College Polars placed seventh in the preseason poll with 13 points. Crown finished seventh in the UMAC last year with a 2-12 conference record and a 4-21 overall record.
The Polars are looking to build momentum in the first year with a new coaching staff. Crown has 10 incoming players to the roster that are looking to make an impact in 2024-25.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
- Brayli Reimer, So., Guard
- 12.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 43 assists
- Isabelle Sager, Jr., Forward
- 2022-23 UMAC Rookie of the Year
- 7.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 48% FGs
- Sydney Cotten, So., Guard
- 5.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 72 assists
#8: Northland LumberJills (7 Points)
The Northland College LumberJills round out the preseason poll with seven points. Northland finished eighth in the conference last year with a 0-14 UMAC record while going 0-22 overall.
Head Coach:
Top Returners:
The UMAC is an NCAA Division III member comprised of eight full-time member schools from Minnesota and Wisconsin: Bethany Lutheran College, Crown College, Martin Luther College, North Central University, Northland College, University of Minnesota Morris, University of Northwestern, and University of Wisconsin-Superior.