Arkansas Tech, back-to-back women’s basketball champion of the NCAA Division II South Region, is ranked No. 4 in the 2011-12 preseason Division II Bulletin national top 25 poll.
The Golden Suns return two starters and nine letter winners from a team that finished 30-3 overall, won the Gulf South Conference West Division championship, captured the GSC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight by winning the NCAA Division II South Region crown.
Head coach Dave Wilbers returns this season for his fifth campaign on the Arkansas Tech bench. He has a record of 106-21 in four years with the Golden Suns.
Arkansas Tech ranks among the top three programs in NCAA Division II women’s basketball history in terms of both all-time wins (849) and all-time winning percentage (.792). Tech is beginning a new era this year as a charter member of the new NCAA Division II Great American Conference.
Defending national champion Clayton State (Ga.) is ranked No. 1 in the Division II Bulletin preseason top 25. Bentley College (Mass.) is No. 2, followed by Grand Valley State (Mich.) in the third spot, Arkansas Tech at No. 4 and Fort Lewis (Colo.) at No. 5.
Other notable teams in the preseason top 25 include Arkansas Tech’s former GSC rival Delta State, which is ranked No. 8; and Michigan Tech, which defeated the Golden Suns in the 2011 NCAA Division II national quarterfinals and is listed at No. 10 in the Division II Bulletin preseason poll.
Division II Bulletin is a national publication that has covered NCAA Division II basketball since 1991.
The Golden Suns will begin their 2011-12 season on Saturday, Nov. 12, with a 4 p.m. home game against Central Baptist College.
Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech women’s basketball.
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