Bellevue picked second in NSAA Preseason Poll

BISMARCK, N.D. -- The Bellevue University women's basketball team, coming off a 17-7 (11-3 NSAA) season in 2020-21, has been picked to finish second in a survey of North Star Athletic Association coaches, as announced by the NSAA on Monday afternoon.

Dakota State (27-4/14-0 NSAA), who won both the regular-season and tournament titles last year, was the unanimous selection to repeat collecting all eight first place votes for 64 points in the poll.

Bellevue was picked second with 56 points after they finished second in the NSAA regular-season standings a year ago and reached the conference championship game.

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

Each NSAA members will be playing 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.

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 the Watertown Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D. on Feb. 26-27, 2022.

The Champion of the North Star Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament will receive the NSAA's automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament's Opening Round scheduled for March 11-12, 2022.  The winner of the Opening Round sites advance to the final site in Sioux City, Iowa from March 17-22, 2022.

Quick Season Preview

BU returns 11 of 13 letter-winners off last year's team and welcomes four newcomers into the fold in the form of a transfer and three freshmen signees.

Headlining the returners are senior forward and three-time All-American Elexis Martinez (16.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG) as well as junior guard and two-time first team all-conference Faith Ross (12.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG). Two other starters return in junior guard Taeha Pankey (7.0 PPG, 2.0 APG) and junior forward Laura Jurek (5.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG).

Also back for Bellevue are seven key contributors. The junior class is comprised of guards Lexi Allen (3.4 PPG, 39.6 3FG%), Miranda Hennings (2.5 PPG), and Meleah Turner (0.5 PPG0; guard Delaney VanBlaricon (5.0 PPG, 38.7 3FG%) represents the sophomore class; guards Kaziah Terrell (1.9 PPG) and Aminah Hall (1.7 PPG) and forward Shelby Little (2.8 PPG, 2.1 RPG) each retain their freshman eligibility from a year ago.

Junior, 5-8, guard Asha Scott (Washington, D.C./West Texas A&M) adds considerable high-level experience to the backcourt. Freshmen, 5-11, guard Ashtyn Arnold (Clovis, Calif./Buchanan HS) and 6-0, forward Arantxa Fonseca (San Diego, Calif./Mount Miguel HS) add significant length to the Bruin perimeter while 6-3 center Jillian Friedman (Carmichael, Calif./El Camino HS) gives Bellevue some needed depth inside.

Bellevue opens their 2021-22 season tomorrow night when they host Peru State College for and intra-state showdown. Tip-off from the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center is set for 6 p.m.