BISMARCK, N.D. (PlayNorthStar.com) – The North Star Athletic Association women’s basketball head coaches had unanimous chosen Dakota State (S.D.) as its preseason favorite to win the 2021-22 league title, the conference preseason poll was released Monday.

The Trojans collected all eight first-place votes and 64 points to claim the top spot in the preseason poll.  Dakota State finished the 2020-21 season with an impressive 27-4 overall record, including a perfect 14-0 record in league play.  DaSU swept both North Star conference regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament’s quarterfinal round.

Bellevue (Neb.) was picked to finish second after earning 56 points in the preseason poll.  Mayville State (N.D.) edged Viterbo (Wis.) by three points (45-42) to place in the poll.  Dickinson State (N.D.) was picked to finish fifth after tallying 29 points, edging out Valley City State (N.D.) who received 28 points to place sixth.

Waldorf (Iowa) was picked to finish seventh after recording 14 points, followed by Presentation (S.D.) eighth with 10 points.

Points are awarded on an 8-1 basis and coaches could vote for their own team.

Each NSAA members will be playing a total of 14 conference games this season, with each team playing home and away games during the conference season.

The NSAA conference season gets underway on Dec. 4 with four games on schedule, with traveling partners playing each other.  Valley City State travels to Dickinson State; Dakota State hosts Bellevue; Presentation welcomes Mayville State and Viterbo visits Waldorf.

The top six teams in the women’s basketball team standings will advance to the NSAA postseason conference tournament, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receiving an opening round bye.  The No. 3 seed will host No. 6 seed, while the No. 4 seed hosts No. 5 seed in the opening round, tentatively scheduled for Feb. 23, 2022.

The two opening round winners will join the top two seeds teams in the NSAA postseason’s Final Four at Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D. on Feb. 26-27, 2022.

The North Star Women’s Basketball Postseason Tournament’s champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament’s Opening Round scheduled for March 11-12, 2022.  The winner of the national tournament’s opening round will advance to the final site in Sioux City, Iowa from March 17-22, 2022.

Here is the complete 2021-22 NSAA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll: