Coming off a national title in 2009, Morningside College (Iowa) has been tabbed as the No. 1 team in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll, the NAIA announced Monday. The Mustangs tallied 15 first-place votes to earn 436 points. Fellow Great Plains Athletic Conference foe, Northwestern College (Iowa) is No. 2, followed by No. 3 Davenport University (Mich.), No. 4 Hastings College (Neb.) and No. 5 Shawnee State University (Ohio).

The GPAC boasts five nationally-ranked teams, including three of the top five in Morningside, Northwestern, Hastings, No. 15 Sioux Falls (S.D.) and No. 22 Concordia (Neb.). The Mid-Central Collegiate Conference has four ranked teams: No. 8 Bethel (Ind.), No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 16 Saint Francis (Ind.) and No. 23 Taylor (Ind.).

Morningside has spent the past 13 polls as the nation's top-ranked team, dating back to the 2008-09 preseason poll. Heading into the 2009-10 season, the Mustangs bring back three starters from last year's undefeated national championship team and All-GPAC performers Laura Nelson (second team), Brittany Williamson, (second team) and Leslie Foral (honorable mention). Morningside must replace All-American guard and 2009 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Player of the Year Dani Gass and All-American guard Autumn Bartel.

After a semifinal appearance, Northwestern lands as No. 2 in the preseason poll with 413 points. The Red Raiders were forced to rebuild during the 2008-09 season after losing five seniors off of 2008's national championship team. Last season Northwestern opened at No. 14 in the preseason poll and finished at No. 6 with a 26-8 record. Aiming even higher in 2009-10, the Red Raiders return eight of their top-10 players and their top-five scorers from last year, including junior guard and First Team All-American Becca Hurley.

Davenport earned 409 points and one first-place vote to come in at No. 3. The Panthers advanced to the quarterfinals of the national tournament in 2009, falling to Northwestern 76-66. Davenport returns all five starters from a year ago after a 31-3 campaign. Leading the Panther charge will be First Team All-American Kallie Benike. The junior guard was also named Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore. Also returning for Davenport are All-WHAC honorees Kristi Boehm (second team), Carrie Grubius (third team) and Brittany Lyman (third team).

Last season's national runner-up behind the guidance of first-year head coach Jeff Dittman, Hastings enters 2009-10 ranked fourth with 389 points. The Broncos return all but two key players from a 27-8 squad and bring three starters back to the court. Among those back in 2009-10 are two-time All-American Lindsay Ducey and All-Tournament pick Kim Faimon. Hastings entered the national tournament ranked No. 18 after starting out as No. 2 in the preseason poll.

Shawnee State rounds out the top-five teams with 381 points. After closing out 2008-09 ranked second, the Bears were only able to advance to the second round of the national tournament before losing to Hastings, 77-69 in overtime. The loss was the only one of the season for Shawnee State, closing out the season with a 31-1 mark. First Team All-American Mideast Conference selection and Third Team All-American Mallory Albers will look to lead the Bears back to the national tournament in 2009-10. Along with Albers, fellow senior and Third Team All-AMC pick Allison Meyer and All-AMC Freshmen member Bianca Barton will need to fill the holes left by the graduation of three players.