BOSTON — Collegeinsider.com announced on Tuesday its 2024-25 NCAA Division I preseason rankings for mid-major programs. UNI women’s basketball was ranked 12th in the poll.
In its 15th year of existence, the Mid-Major Top 25 is voted on by 31 Division I coaches. James Madison head coach Sean O’Regan is the chairman of the voting panel this season. The Mid-Major Poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic, Conference USA, Horizon, Independent, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast, Western Athletic.
Among the 25 teams, three programs represent the Missouri Valley in the top 25 including Drake (6), UNI (12), and Belmont (15). Murray State and Missouri State received votes for the preseason top 25. Three non-conference opponents on the Panther schedule are also ranked in the top 25 including Ball State (3), South Dakota State (7), and Green Bay (10).
The Panthers were chosen as the Valley’s preseason runners-up behind the 2023-24 regular-season and MVC Tournament champion Drake Bulldogs. Maya McDermott and Grace Boffeli were named to the Preseason All-MVC First Team ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
UNI will take on the Quincy Hawks on October 29 inside the McLeod Center in an exhibition matchup slated for 6 p.m. CT before getting the regular season rolling with a matchup against La Crosse on November 5 inside the McLeod Center. Tipoff against the Eagles is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN+ and can be listened to on the Panther Sports Radio Network.
Tickets for all Panther home basketball games can be purchased through the UNI Ticket Office, or by calling 319-273-4849 or emailing tickets@uni.edu.
2024-25 COLLEGEINSIDER.COM MID-MAJOR PRESEASON TOP-25 (First-Place Votes)
- Gonzaga (27)
- FGCU (2)
- Ball State (1)
- Middle Tennessee (1)
- Princeton
- Drake
- South Dakota State
- Cleveland State
- Columbia
- Green Bay
- Fairfield
- Northern Iowa
- James Madison
- Norfolk State
- Belmont
- Kent State
- NC A&T
- Grand Canyon
- Hawaii
- Troy
- California Baptist
- Wofford
- Southern Indiana
- Lamar
- Northern Arizona
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Maine 51, Harvard 42, Portland 38, UT Martin 28, UC Irvine 24, Eastern Washington 22, Loyola MD 21, High Point 19, Central Arkansas 17, Chattanooga 17, Drexel 17, Grambling 17, Jackson State 15, Montana 14, Marshall 12, Southeastern 11, Stony Brook 11, Buffalo 10, ULM 9, Penn 7, Bowling Green 6, Fairleigh Dickinson 5, Liberty 7, Murray State 4, Texas A&M Corpus Christi 5, Lipscomb 2, Missouri State 2, Montana State 2, Albany 1, Siena 1.