Oregon Tech Lady Owls at No.21 in Nation
Women's Basketball
October 23, 2019
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two weeks after being ranked third in the Cascade Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll the 2019-20 Oregon Tech Women's Basketball Team has been ranked in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll coming in at No. 21.
The Cascade Collegiate Conference saw three teams ranked and another receiving votes. Eastern Oregon University leads the quartet with a No. 8 debut ranking. Corban University starts the season at No. 14, while the Owls at No. 21. Southern Oregon University is just outside the top-25, receiving votes.
"I am pleasantly surprised by our #21 preseason ranking," said Head Coach
Scott Meredith. "With no seniors on our roster, I think that ranking reflects the quality of teams we have produced and consistency of our program over the years.
Lady Owls Preview
With no returning seniors, the 2019-20 Lady Owls will try to take up where the 2018-19 Lady Owls left off. Having won 14 of their last 16 games, the 2018-19 team finished the season 24-10, with a #25 final season ranking and a Sweet 16 finish in the NAIA National Tournament.
Having lost a very strong quartet of seniors (
Nohea Waiwaiole – CCC 1st Team All-Conference, NAIA All-American, 3rd Team,
Bailey Nelson – CCC Honorable Mention and
Megan Morris – former CCC 1st team and
Mikaela Shumaker), Meredith will look to returning juniors and team Co-Captains
Abby Kreiser (Boise, ID, 10.3 pts/28.9 min) a CCC Honorable Mention selection and
Amanda Constant (Temecula, CA, 5.3pts/25 min) who has 64 starts in blue and gold for experience and leadership. Junior
Beth Derner (College of the Siskiyous – 1st Team Golden Valley Conference) is coming off a red-shirt season and is ready for play.
The Lady Owls return 4 sophomores who all saw significant action last season as freshman. Post
Courtney Clemmer (Camas, WA, (8.6pts/14.9 min) set a program record for single-season field goal percentage at 59.6%.
Kristin Farrell (Reno, NV, 6.6.3pts/16.3min) led the team in 3-point field goal percentage at 36%.
Melissa Lee (Napavine, WA, 4.8pts, 13.9 min) who was 2nd in blocks and
Kylie Meadows (Mountain Home, ID, 2.1pts/8.7min) also are entering their 2nd season for Oregon Tech.
Joining the Lady Owls in 2019-20 are freshman
Eastyn Reeves (Longview, WA),
Maddyson Tull (Gridley, CA),
Carissa Twitchell (Red Bluff, CA),
Makaila Napoleon (Eureka, CA),
Courtney Bennett (Chehalis, WA), and
Emma McKenney (Springfield, OR).
Returning to Oregon Tech is former Hustlin' Owl
Ryan Beesley, who joined the Lady Owls in July and will serve as the lead assistant for the Lady Owls.
The Owls next hit the road with two games at the Bill Holtz Classic at William Jessup University in Rocklin, CA. The Owls open the tournament against the host team, William Jessup, Friday November 1st and finish the tournament on Saturday November 2nd against The Masters College.
Along with the men, the Lady Owls will host the Lithia – Oregon Tech Classic November 15th and 16th with games against UC Merced and Simpson University.
Oregon Tech begins conference play on the road at Evergreen State and Northwest University December, 6th and 7th before hosting College of Idaho and and Eastern Oregon on December 20th and 21st at Danny Miles Court.
2019-20 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll (Oct. 23)
| RANK |
LAST WEEK |
SCHOOL |
RECORD |
FINAL POINTS |
| 1 |
1 |
Concordia (Neb.) [12] |
35-3 |
312 |
| 2 |
2 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
31-3 |
302 |
| 3 |
5 |
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) |
31-4 |
284 |
| 4 |
7 |
Indiana Tech |
32-4 |
270 |
| 5 |
16 |
Dordt (Iowa) |
20-12 |
266 |
| 6 |
8 |
Marian (Ind.) |
27-7 |
264 |
| 7 |
3 |
Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) |
31-6 |
258 |
| 8 |
9 |
Eastern Oregon |
29-4 |
234 |
| 9 |
14 |
St. Francis (Ill.) |
24-9 |
231 |
| 10 |
11 |
Antelope Valley (Calif.) |
27-6 |
230 |
| 11 |
4 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
29-5 |
215 |
| 12 |
15 |
Sterling (Kan.) |
27-6 |
195 |
| 13 |
24 |
Saint Francis (Ind.) |
20-13 |
192 |
| 14 |
23 |
Corban (Ore.) |
25-10 |
167 |
| 15 |
6 |
Taylor (Ind.) |
30-5 |
165 |
| 16 |
13 |
Hastings (Neb.) |
20-13 |
163 |
| 17 |
RV |
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
21-10 |
158 |
| 18 |
10 |
Tabor (Kan.) |
28-4 |
137 |
| 19 |
19 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
19-13 |
126 |
| 20 |
12 |
Bryan (Tenn.) |
31-2 |
109 |
| 21 |
25 |
Oregon Tech |
24-10 |
92 |
| 22 |
RV |
Michigan-Dearborn |
24-7 |
80 |
| 23 |
RV |
Mayville State (N.D.) |
19-8 |
68 |
| 24 |
RV |
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
21-12 |
66 |
| 25 |
18 |
Indiana Northwest (Ind.) |
27-8 |
62 |
|
Receiving Votes: WVU Tech 50, Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 47, Huntington (Ind.) 47, Indiana Wesleyan 38, Aquinas (Mich.) 33, Bellevue (Neb.) 31, Bethany (Kan.) 17, Southern Oregon 15, Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 9, Milligan (Tenn.) 7, St. Thomas (Fla.) 5, UC Merced (Calif.) 4
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