LILBURN, GA -- Georgia Southwestern has been ranked #17 and Columbus State #24 in the preseason top 25 from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) on Tuesday. The announcement was made mere hours after the Peach Belt released its own preseason coaches poll with CSU in the top spot and GSW fourth.
Columbus State is coming off a 19-10 season season, 13-5 in league play, which included reaching the final of the PBC Tournament. CSU returns five seniors and graduate students, including All-Conference selection Olonna Rawls, along with first-team All-Conference junior Letiya Reeves.
Georgia Southwestern made school history last season, winning the PBC regular-season title, the PBC Tournament championship and the NCAA Southeast Regional to make their first trip to the NCAA Elite Eight. The Hurricanes return several key pieces from that team including preseason All-Conference selection Jashanti Simmons along with graduate student guard Destiny Garrett and senior guard Ndidiamaka Ndukwe. GSW will also welcome new head coach Missy Tiber for her first year at the helm.
The regular season for most PBC teams begins on Friday, Nov. 8.
WBCA Preseason Top 25
| Rank |
School (2023-24 Record) |
Total
Points |
Last Year’s
Final Ranking |
First-Place
Votes |
| 1 |
Minnesota State Mankato (32-5) |
571 |
1 |
20 |
| 2 |
Texas Woman’s (34-5) |
533 |
2 |
1 |
| 3 |
Grand Valley State (31-3) |
501 |
9 |
2 |
| 4 |
Tampa (31-7) |
464 |
7 |
0 |
| 5 |
Ashland (31-2) |
458 |
8 |
0 |
| 6 |
Montana State Billings (28-7) |
398 |
15 |
0 |
| 7 |
Fairmont State (27-6) |
341 |
22 |
0 |
| 8 |
Union, TN (29-4) |
332 |
18 |
0 |
| 9 |
Bentley (27-6) |
321 |
19 |
0 |
| 10 |
Fayetteville State (29-3) |
292 |
16 |
0 |
| 11 |
Gannon (35-3) |
280 |
4 |
0 |
| 12 |
Thomas Jefferson (32-2) |
257 |
10 |
0 |
| 13 |
Pittsburg State (24-8) |
245 |
NR |
0 |
| 14 |
Carson-Newman (24-10) |
220 |
RV |
0 |
| 15 |
Ferris State (26-6) |
200 |
3 |
0 |
| 16 |
Nova Southeastern (25-6) |
174 |
23 |
0 |
| 17 |
Georgia Southwestern (29-4) |
172 |
6 |
0 |
| 18 |
Azusa Pacific (29-4) |
166 |
13 |
0 |
| 19 |
Cal Poly Pomona (20-10) |
164 |
NR |
0 |
| 20 |
Assumption (25-6) |
148 |
RV |
0 |
| 21 |
Colorado Mesa (25-7) |
141 |
RV |
0 |
| 22 |
Southern Nazarene (30-3) |
121 |
14 |
0 |
| 23 |
Fort Hays State (25-8) |
107 |
RV |
0 |
| 24 |
Columbus State (19-10) |
106 |
NR |
0 |
| 25 |
Valdosta State (30-3) |
88 |
11 |
0 |
Others receiving votes: Harding (26-6) 76; Lewis (23-9) 61; Cal State San Marcos
(27-7) 59; Lubbock Christian (21-10) 54; Miles (23-7) 52; Daemen (23-8) 45;
Northern State (20-9) 38; Lock Haven (29-4) 34; Catawba (24-6) 26; Lee, TN (21-11)
26; Western Washington (24-7) 26; Virginia State (23-5) 23; Savannah State (20-6)
19; Colorado State-Pueblo (17-15) 17; Texas-Tyler (27-9) 16; Missouri Western State
(25-6) 10; Lenoir-Rhyne (22-9) 9; California State L.A. (17-13) 6.