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NSAA releases preseason polls

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MADISON, S.D. (PlayNorthStar.com) — Bellevue (Neb.) picked up five first-place votes and collected 55 points to claim the top spot of the 2019-20 North Star Athletic Association men’s basketball coaches’ preseason poll.

Dickinson State (N.D.) registered two first-place votes and 48 points to finish second in the preseason poll. Valley City State (N.D.) edged Mayville State (N.D.) 42-41 to finish third. The Comets, who qualified for the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Tournament for two straight years, earned the final first-place vote in the poll.

Waldorf (Iowa) scored 35 points in the poll to place fifth, followed by Dakota State (S.D.) sixth with 32 points. Viterbo (Wis.) was seventh with 23 points, while Presentation was eighth with 13 points.

On the women’s side, Mayville State (N.D.) edged Bellevue (Neb.) by two points for the top spot in the 2019-20 North Star Athletic Association coaches’ preseason poll.  The Comets collected 60 points, while the Bruins finished second with 58 points. MSU and BU each picked up four first-place votes in the conference poll.

Valley City State (N.D.) tallied 50 points in the poll to place third, followed by Dakota State (S.D.) fourth with 35 points. Viterbo (Wis.) was picked to finish fifth after recording 27 points. Waldorf (Iowa) was sixth with 22 points. Presentation (S.D.) edged Dickinson State (N.D.) 19-17 to claim the seventh-place spot in the preseason poll.

The NSAA Postseason Tournament opening round is scheduled for February 25th and 26th. The four opening round runners will advance to the ‘Final Four’ tournament to be held at Watertown Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D. on Feb. 29-March 1.

The North Star Women’s Basketball Postseason Tournament Champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament to be held in Sioux City, Iowa. The national tournament takes place on March 11 through March 17.

This will be the final year as a member of the NAIA Division II basketball, where all NAIA schools will compete in one division next season.