HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team is picked No. 1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason coaches poll.
NKU returns two starters and eight letterwinners from a team that posted a 26-7 record last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the third time in four years. The Norse received 106 total points and seven first-place votes.
NKU will feature senior guard Bridget Flanagan, who averaged 12.8 points per game last season. Flanagan also set an NKU single-season record by making 81 three-point shots.
The Norse also welcome back senior forward Amy Mobley, who averaged 11.5 ppg and 6.4 rebounds per contest. Mobley also led the team with 25 blocked shots last season.
Quincy University was picked second in the women’s poll, followed by Bellarmine University and the University of Southern Indiana.
The NKU men, who finished with a 19-8 record last year, are picked fourth in the GLVC preseason poll. Defending NCAA Division II national runner-up Kentucky Wesleyan College is picked to capture its sixth consecutive GLVC championship.
NKU returns senior guard Brenden Stowers (13.2 ppg) and senior forward Bobby St-Preux (11.5 ppg) to the lineup. Sophomore guard Mike Kelsey (7.6 ppg) is also back for the Norse.
Lewis University, which captured the GLVC Tournament title last March, is picked No. 2 in the poll. Southern Indiana was tabbed No. 3, followed by NKU.
2002-03 GLVC Men’s Basketball Poll
1. Kentucky Wesleyan (10) ........110
2. Lewis (1)................................95
3. Southern Indiana....................93
4. Northern Kentucky.................88
5. Indianapolis............................68
6. Bellarmine .............................54
7. Quincy ..................................52
8. (tie) Missouri-St. Louis ............47
8. Wisconsin-Parkside................47
10. SIU-Edwardsville .................31
11. Saint Joseph's....................30
2002-03 GLVC Women's Basketball Poll
1. Northern Kentucky (7) ............106
2. Quincy (4)................................98
3. Bellarmine (1) ..........................90
4. Southern Indiana ....................86
5. Indianapolis.............................77
6. SIU-Edwardsville.....................67
7. Saint Joseph's........................46
8. Missouri-St. Louis....................45
9. Wisconsin-Parkside.................40
10. Lewis...................................34
11. Kentucky Wesleyan..............26
Bridget Flanagan