USA Today Preseason Top 25
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women's basketball team has been chosen No. 4 in the USA TODAY Sports Division II Preseason Coaches' Poll, their best showing ever in the national rankings, as released by the WBCA on Tuesday.
The Sharks, whose No. 12 ranking in the final poll following the season last year was their previous highest ranking ever, received 535 points and trail only Bentley (694), Gannon (678) and Clayton State (649).
"We appreciate the preseason recognition from the WBCA Coaches' Poll," said head coach LeAnn Freeland. "The recognition is a testament to the hard work by our players and coaches, as well as the strong support by the NSU administration. In order to live up to this expectation, everyone in our program must challenge one another to find an even higher level of commitment and discipline in order to continue to grow."
The ranking will be put to the test early as two of the three ranked teams on the 2013-14 schedule come to the NSU Arena for the Sharks' first two games of the year, in the NSU Tipoff Classic. On Saturday, Nov. 9, the team will host No. 22 Washburn, and the following day, will battle No. 7 Stonehill.
The other Shark opponent in the preseason poll is the only other Sunshine State Conference school ranked, Rollins, chosen No. 25. Among the teams in the "Others Receiving Votes," NSU is scheduled to face Shaw, Ferris State, Tampa and Florida Tech.
The defending DII champions, Ashland, were ranked No. 15 in Tuesday's poll. The Sharks' final opponent in the Elite Eight a year ago, Western Washington, was voted No. 6. Those two schools were the only teams besides the top three to receive first place votes: No. 1 Bentley (18), No. 2 Gannon (2), No. 3 Clayton State (3), No. 6 Western Washington (1) and No. 15 Ashland (7).
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