No. 24 Rio Grande, (RV) IU East represent in NAIA DII Women's Basketball Top 25 Poll
No. 24 Rio Grande, (RV) IU East represent in NAIA DII Women's Basketball Top 25 Poll
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The River States Conference had two teams mentioned in the NAIA Divsion II Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll released by the national office on Tuesday (Oct. 23). The RSC is represented by No. 24 University of Rio Grande and "receiving votes" IU East.
Rio Grande is the RSC preseason favorite after going 30-4 overall last year on its way to RSC regular season and tournament championships. The RedStorm returns two All-RSC Preseason Team selections this season.
IU East came in at No. 33 overall in the country this preseason. The Red Wolves were 22-11 last year, and they have been regulars at the NAIA Division II national tournament with three straight appearances. Last year, the RSC had three teams at the national tournament with conference tournament runner-up Alice Lloyd (Ky.) (24-6 in 2017-18) there as well.
For the complete Top 25 Poll, click here. The NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll is posted below:
2018-19 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll (Oct. 23)
| RANK | LAST WEEK | TEAM (FIRST-PLACE VOTES) | 2017-2018 RECORD | POINTS |
| 1 | 2 | Concordia (Neb.) (10) | 36-2 | 311 |
| 2 | 7 | Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (1) | 32-6 | 295 |
| 3 | 1 | Southeastern (Fla.) (1) | 31-1 | 290 |
| 4 | 4 | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 32-3 | 277 |
| 4 | 5 | Marian (Ind.) | 32-3 | 277 |
| 6 | 3 | College of the Ozarks (Mo.) | 31-2 | 268 |
| 7 | 6 | Eastern Oregon | 31-3 | 243 |
| 8 | 11 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 25-9 | 240 |
| 9 | 9 | Indiana Tech | 30-5 | 220 |
| 9 | 19 | St. Francis (Ill.) | 22-10 | 220 |
| 11 | 13 | Morningside (Iowa) | 22-12 | 212 |
| 12 | 10 | Southern Oregon | 28-5 | 203 |
| 13 | 12 | Hastings (Neb.) | 26-7 | 195 |
| 14 | NR | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 17-14 | 183 |
| 15 | 17 | Indiana Wesleyan | 25-9 | 156 |
| 16 | 14 | Valley City State (N.D.) | 25-5 | 150 |
| 16 | 8 | Jamestown (N.D.) | 31-5 | 150 |
| 18 | 16 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 23-10 | 138 |
| 19 | 15 | Taylor (Ind.) | 24-11 | 136 |
| 20 | RV | Tabor (Kan.) | 18-14 | 123 |
| 21 | 21 | Lawrence Tech (Mich.) | 25-7 | 121 |
| 22 | RV | Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) | 19-10 | 95 |
| 23 | 23 | Bryan (Tenn.) | 25-10 | 85 |
| 24 | 20 | Rio Grande (Ohio) | 30-4 | 67 |
| 25 | 24 | Antelope Valley (Calif.) | 22-7 | 58 |
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* Last week refers to the final regular-season poll of the 2017-2018 season. Beginning last year, there is no longer a postseason coaches' poll.
Others receiving votes: Oregon Tech 55, Bethany (Kan.) 47, Reinhardt (Ga.) 28, Aquinas (Mich.) 28, Bellevue (Neb.) 18, Oklahoma Wesleyan 14, St. Thomas (Fla.) 12, IU East (Ind.) 7, UC Merced (Calif.) 6, Huntington (Ind.) 5, Northwest Christian (Ore.) 4, Rochester (Mich.) 4, Indiana Northwest 3