BURNSVILLE, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's basketball team was picked to finish seventh in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. 

The Mavericks received 132 total points to be slotted seventh. Minnesota State was also tabbed to finish fourth in the south division tied with Concordia-St. Paul after picking up 29 points each. 

MSU Moorhead was picked to finish first in the poll with 10 first-place votes and 213 total votes. The Dragons also claimed the top spot in the North Division with 47 total points and five first place votes. Northern State was slotted second in the NSIC with 209 points and four first place votes while Augustana rounded out the top three with 200 total points and two first place votes. 

Senior Claire Ziegler was named the Mavericks Player to Watch this season. Last season, Ziegler paced Minnesota State in both points per game (11.9) and rebounds (7.8). She also ranked eighth in the NSIC in rebounds last season. Additionally, Ziegler netted a team-high 105 field goals with a .441 field goal percentage and posted 12 blocks on the defensive end of the floor. 

Minnesota State opens exhibition play hosting St. Olaf on Nov. 1 at 6:00 p.m. The Mavericks will also travel to Nebraska in exhibition play on Nov. 5 at 2:00 p.m. MSU  opens the regular season on Nov. 10 against Washburn in Kansas City, Mo. Tip-off is set for 6:45 p.m.
 

Overall	Points		North Division	Points
1. MSU Moorhead (10)	213		1. MSUM Moorhead (5)	47
2. Northern State (4)	209		2. Northern State (3)	45
3. Augustana (2)	200		3. University of Mary	34
4. Wayne State	182		4. Minnesota Duluth	32
5. Winona State	152		5. St. Cloud State	26
6. Concordia-St. Paul	140		6. Bemidji State	15
7. Minnesota State	132		7. Minnesota Crookston	13
8. Minnesota Duluth	126		8. Minot State	12
9. University of Mary	125		South Division	Points
10. Sioux Falls	123		1. Augustana (5)	47
11. St. Cloud State	91		2. Wayne State (3)	44
12. Southwest Minnesota State	58		3. Winona State	33
13. Minnesota Crookston	51		4. Concordia-St. Paul	29
14. Bemidji State	43		Minnesota State	29
15. Upper Iowa	39		6. Sioux Falls	20
16. Minot State	36		7. Southwest Minnesota State	14
first place votes in ( )			8. Upper Iowa	8