Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

LILBURN, GA -- Courtesy:  MTU

The Michigan Tech women’s basketball team debuted at No. 3 in the USA TODAY/ESPN Div.

II Women’s Preseason Poll Tuesday (Nov. 1). Defending national champion Clayton State is No. 1 followed by Bentley (Mass.).

Tech will open its regular season at home against Madonna on Nov. 12. The Huskies return 11 of 14 players from last year’s squad who posted a 31-3 record and finished as the NCAA Div. II National Runner-Up.

The USA TODAY/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is selected weekly by members of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Tech has been ranked in every national poll since Jan. 22, 2008.

Rank Institution- First Place Votes Points

1. Clayton State (Ga.) (27), 732

2. Bentley (Mass.) (1), 625

3. Michigan Tech, 607

4. Arkansas Tech, 596

5. Delta State (Miss.), 540

6. Fort Lewis (Colo.), 515

7. Metro State (Colo.), 426

8. Shaw (N.C.), 402

9. Wayne State (Neb.), 399

10. Lander (S.C.), 398

11. Washburn (Kan.), 346

12. Alaska Anchorage, 291

13. UC-San Diego, 274

14. Grand Canyon, Ariz., 270

15. Northwest Missouri State, 229

16. UW-Parkside, 221

17. South Carolina Aiken, 216

18. Holy Family (Pa.), 201

19. Cal. Poly Pamona, 198

20. Tarleton State (Texas), 196

21. Grand Valley State (Mich.), 192

22. Franklin Pierce (N.H.), 191

23. Edinboro (Pa.), 158

24. Northeastern State (Okla.), 152

25. Drury (Mo.), 141