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Women's Basketball
Bethel Women's Basketball Recognized in Both Preseason Polls
Polls:
D3hoops.com |
WBCA
Bethel University's women's basketball team finished the 2016-17 campaign with a 22-5 record, which generated a winning percentage of .815—the highest single-season mark in program history. The Royals appeared in the MIAC Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and reached the semifinal round for the third time during that stretch.
As a result of BU's steady climb to the top tier of the conference, Bethel was recognized in both the D3hoops.com and WBCA Preseason Top 25 polls in the receiving votes section. The Royals received 66 votes in the D3hoops.com poll, which puts them at No. 27 heading into the season. Meanwhile, BU received seven votes in the WBCA poll, which puts them at No. 34.
Bethel returns a host of contributors from last year, including MIAC All-Conference and MIAC All-Defensive Team honoree
Hannah Johnson and MIAC All-Conference and MIAC All-First-Year Team recipient
Taite Anderson. Also returning to the lineup are senior guards
Abby Miller,
Angie Kirchoff, and
Jasmin Bretoi.
Statistically speaking, the entire group of returners represent 81.2 percent of the team's scoring from one year ago, 79.7 percent of the rebounding, 91.0 percent of the team's 3-point shooting, and 79.6 percent of the minutes played.
Five of Bethel's 25 regular-season games are against teams recognized on both preseason national lists. One of those matchups is BU's home opener against George Fox—ranked No. 22 in the WBCA poll—on Saturday, Nov. 25.
The Royals open the 2017-18 season in Mount Vernon, Iowa, where they'll compete in the Cornell Classic. BU begins the weekend affair with a battle against Carthage College—one of five teams that defeated Bethel last year—on Friday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. They then take on Buena Vista University on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 4 p.m.
