The Missouri Western women’s basketball team was tabbed 8th in both the MIAA preseason coaches and media polls which were announced on Thursday, October 24, 2013 by the league office.

The Griffons received 90 points in the coach’s poll four behind Northwest Missouri State who was in 7th with 94 points and 18 ahead of Missouri Southern who sits in 9th with 72 points.

The Emporia State Hornets led the way in the coach’s poll with 164 points and eight first place votes while Central Missouri was close behind in second with 158 points and five first place votes. The Washburn Ichabods came in third with 143 points and one first place vote while Fort Hays State (130 pts.), Pittsburg State (124 pts.) and Northeastern State (101 pts.) came in 4th-6th respectively. Southwest Baptist came in 10th with 72 points, Central Oklahoma was 11th with 49 points while Lincoln, Lindenwood and Nebraska-Kearney rounded out the poll in 12th, 13th and 14th with 36, 28 and 19 points respectively.

In the media poll, the Griffons were also 8th receiving 187 points. First and second was switched in the media poll with UCM coming in 1st with 359 points and 13 first place votes while Emporia State came in second with 338 points and seven first place votes.  Third thru 12th place is the same as the coaches poll with Washburn receiving 312 points and six first place votes, Fort Hays State had 293 points and one first place vote, Pittsburg state received 269 points which was two more than Northeastern State’s 267. Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Western, Missouri Southern, Southwest Baptist, Central Oklahoma and Lincoln received 201, 187, 171, 128, 101 and 85 points respectively. UNK and Lindenwood fliped in the poll with Nebraska-Kearney coming in 13th with 75 points and Lindenwood coming in 14th with 49 points.

The Griffons are coming off a 16-12 season and 8-10 in MIAA play. They made their third consecutive trip to the MIAA Tournament and first under second year coach Rob Edmisson. MWSU returns a eight players from a year ago but also bring in six junior college transfers and three freshman.

Missouri Western will take on the Livin the Dream in an exhibition game on Tuesday, November 5 in St. Joseph, Mo. Tip time is set for 5:30 pm from the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons will open the 2013-14 regular season on Saturday, November 9 hosting Chadron State University at 1:00 pm in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

2013-14 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Emporia State (8)      164
2. Central Missouri (5)  158
3. Washburn (1)             143
4. Fort Hays State          130
5. Pittsburg State           124
6. Northeastern State   101
7. Northwest Missouri    94
8. Missouri Western      90
9. Missouri Southern      72
10. Southwest Baptist    66
11. Central Oklahoma    49
12. Lincoln                        36
13. Lindenwood               28
14. Nebraska-Kearney   19

2013-14 MIAA Preseason Media Poll
1. Central Missouri (13)  359
2. Emporia State (7)        338
3. Washburn (6)               312
4. Fort Hays State (1)       293
5. Pittsburg State              269
6. Northeastern State      267
7. Northwest Missouri     201
8. Missouri Western      187
9. Missouri Southern      171
10. Southwest Baptist    128
11.  Central Oklahoma   101
12. Lincoln                          85
13. Nebraska-Kearney     75
14. Lindenwood                 49

— MWSU Sports Information —