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PRE-SEASON RANKINGS: George Fox Tabbed 10th in 2010-11 Outlook by DIII News
NEWBERG, Ore. – In the first pre-season rankings to come out for the 2010-11 NCAA Division III women’s basketball season, the George Fox University Bruins have been picked as the No. 10 team in the nation by DIII News, which has been covering the women’s game at the D-III level since 1993.
George Fox, which won the national championship with a perfect 32-0 record in 2008-09, went 28-3 last year and reached the ‘Elite 8’ round of the NCAA National Tournament before falling to eventual champion Washington University-St. Louis on the Bears’ home court. The Bruins were ranked No. 4 in the final D3hoops.com national poll and No. 8 by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
Three starters are gone from last year’s team: point guard B.B. Gardner, now a Bruins’ assistant coach, forward Elise Kuenzi, and guard Lindsay Keener. Gardner and Kuenzi were honorable mention All-Northwest Conference selections. Also gone is 14-year head coach Scott Rueck, who took the women’s basketball head coaching position at his alma mater, Oregon State University.
New George Fox coach Michael Meek, who won five large-school state championships in the last six year at Southridge High School in Beaverton, Ore., inherits a solid nucleus around which to begin his college career. There are seven returnees, including two starters, and a plethora of newcomers that includes two all-state performers and four all-conference selections in high school last year.
Headlining the roster are starting wing Keisha Gordon and starting center Hannah Munger, both First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-West Region picks last year. Gordon, a 5-10 junior, led the team in scoring (13.9 ppg), steals (2.45 spg), and three-pointers (61). Munger, a 6-5 sophomore who was the West Region Rookie of the Year, paced the conference in field goal percentage (.553) and blocked shots (3.45 bspg) while averaging 12.3 points and 8.2 rebounds a game.
The Bruins have made four NCAA Tournament appearances in the last five years and seven in their 11 years of eligibility as members of the NCAA, posting a 15-6 overall record. Included in that record are five ‘Sweet 16’ appearances, three in the ‘Elite 8’, and one ‘Final Four’.
Amherst College is the top pick in the nation by DIII News, followed by Hope College, Washington-St. Louis, and Illinois Wesleyan University. George Fox is the only Northwest Conference team ranked in the pre-season top 25.
DIII News is one of four newsletters about NCAA Division II and Division III men’s and women’s basketball published by GSR Communications, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary covering small college hoops. More information and subscription information can be found on line at www.smallcollegehoops.com.
DIII NewsPre-season Top-25
Poll
1. Amherst
2. Hope
3. Washington-St. Louis
4. Illinois Wesleyan
5. Rochester
6. Christopher Newport
7. Kean
8. Wisconsin-Stevens Point
9. Babson
10. George Fox
11. Mount Union
12. Western Connecticut
13. Messiah
14. St. Benedict
15. Gettysburg
16. Mary Washington
17. DePauw
18. Carthage
19. Calvin
20. Lebanon Valley
21. Roanoke
22. St. Thomas
23. Utica
24. Marymount
25. Thomas More
Others to watch: Southern Maine, Emmanuel, Ithaca, Cortland, Louisiana College, Maryville, Muhlenberg, Scranton, Baruch, Moravian, DeSales, William Patterson, Manhattanville, Medaille, Franklin, Ohio Wesleyan, Denison, Minnesota-Morris, St. Norbert, Simpson, Redlands.
