Benedict Lady Tigers ranked 25th in DII preseason poll

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Benedict College women’s basketball team is ranked No. 25 in the WBCA NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 Coaches’ poll.

The WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll Committee is composed of one head coach from each of the 24 NCAA Division II conferences.

The Lady Tigers are the two-time defending SIAC champions and returns SIAC preseason player of the year MiKeisha Moore. Moore led Benedict in scoring last year at 15.4 points per game and led the SIAC with 105 3-pointers and 3-point field goal percentage (.420). Benedict also returns Shirvel Luke, who averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and was named to the SIAC preseason All-Conference team.

Benedict finished with a 21-8 record during 2016-17 and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA South Region tournament.

Final Rank
1 Ashland (37-0)
2 Virginia Union (28-5)
3 Harding (31-4)
4 Alaska Anchorage (30-2)
5 Colorado State-Pueblo (28-4)
6 Bentley (26-6)
7 Drury (30-4)
8 Valdosta State (22-10)
9 West Texas A&M (26-9)
10 California (PA) (30-4)
11 Emporia State (29-5)
12 Queens (NY) (27-5)
13 Central Missouri (24-7)
14 Wingate (26-6)
15 Lander (25-8)
16 Azusa Pacific (16-14)
17 Rollins (22-8)
18 West Florida (28-7)
19 Minnesota State Moorhead (24-5)
20 Indiana (PA) (24-7)
21 Michigan Tech (20-8)
22 Fort Lewis (21-7)
23 University of the Sciences (27-6)
24 Lincoln Memorial (28-5)
25 Benedict (21-8)