KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The MIAA Basketball Media Day took place Wednesday at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City and the MIAA released its annual preseason coaches and media polls. The Griffon women's basketball team is picked to finished 11th by the league's coaches and they are no. 8 in the media poll.
After a tie for eighth place last year, the coaches tabbed the Griffon Women's Basketball team 11th with the media picking MWSU eighth. The Griffons went 14-16 overall with an 8-11 mark in MIAA play. First-year head coach Candi Whitaker will have two starters and seven returning letter winners, including 2019 first team All-MIAA guard Katrina Roenfeldt. In her junior season, Roenfeldt was second in the conference, averaging 16.7 points per game and broke the program's single-season record for three-pointers in a season with 86. Whitaker's first season leading the Griffons begins with an exhibition at Iowa State on Oct. 30. The regular season begins Nov. 8th and 9th at Civic Arena as the team co-hosts the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic with the men's team.
The women's coaches picked Fort Hays State to repeat as MIAA champions, but awarded four first place votes to Central Missouri, which was just six overall points behind the defending champs for first in the preseason poll. Lindenwood's departure after finishing third a season ago allowed for Washburn, Pittsburg State and Emporia State to slide up from last year's finishes. The coaches moved Nebraska-Kearney up a spot from last year's finish and put newcomer Newman in the Griffons' spot from a season ago. The coaches also picked Northwest Missouri 10th after finishing 12th with a 4-15 conference record last year.
Women's basketball media poll voters actually stayed more consistent with last year's standings in their preseason poll. The most notable change toward the top was the media's pick of Pittsburg State for third after a sixth place finish last season. Lincoln was 14th in both polls.
Women's Coaches Poll
1. Fort Hays State (10) - 166 points
2. Central Missouri (4) - 160 points
3. Washburn - 134 points
4. Pittsburg State - 131 points
5. Emporia State - 130 points
6. Nebraska Kearney - 100 points
7. Central Oklahoma - 97 points
8. Newman - 83 points
9. Missouri Southern - 67 points
10. Northwest Missouri - 64 points
11. Missouri Western - 62 points
12. Northeastern State - 37 points
13. Rogers State - 25 points
14. Lincoln - 17 points
Women's Media Poll
1. Fort Hays State (14) - 271 points
2. Central Missouri (6) - 263 points
3. Pittsburg State - 227 points
4. Washburn - 217 points
5. Emporia State - 213 points
6. Nebraska Kearney - 161 points
7. Central Oklahoma - 160 points
8. Missouri Western - 131 points
9. Newman - 120 points
10. Missouri Southern - 109 points
11. Northwest Missouri - 84 points
12. Rogers State - 73 points
13. Northeastern State - 47 points
14. Lincoln - 23 points
--- MWSU Athletics ---