Morningside received all 11 first place votes in the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Pre-Season Top 25 Poll.

Reigning NAIA Division II National Champion Morningside is ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Pre-Season Poll released on Oct. 27.

The Mustangs received all 11 first place votes.

Morningside returns 10 letter winners, including the five players who started during last year’s NAIA Division II National Tournament when the Mustangs captured the NAIA Division II National Championship with a 59-57 victory against Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) rival Concordia University in the NAIA II title game to put the finishing touches on a 37-1 season. It was the Mustangs’ fourth NAIA II National Championship during the Jamie Sale coaching era.

Morningside is one of four teams from the GPAC ranked in the NAIA Division II Pre-Season Top 25. Aside from Morningside, Concordia University is ranked fourth, Briar Cliff University is seventh, and College of Saint Mary is 15th.

Morningside also won NAIA Division II National Championships in 2004, 2005, and 2009. The Mustangs have posted 12 consecutive 20-win seasons and have made 13 consecutive appearances in the NAIA Division II National Tournament.

Click here for the complete NAIA II Pre-Season Top 25.