GRAND FORKS, N.D.-Heading in to the first year of Great West Conference women's basketball championship action, the University of North Dakota has been picked to win the conference by a vote of the league's head coaches. The Fighting Sioux received 42 votes, including two first-place nods.

In addition to the team's top vote, UND senior guard Kayla Bagaason (Clearbrook, Minn.) was selected to the Preseason All-Great West Conference first team and senior forward Whitney Ledger (Bismarck, N.D.) and junior guard Mallory Youngblut (Davenport, Iowa) were named to the second team. Senior guard Jossy Bergan (Valley City, N.D.) received honorable mention honors.

Head coach Gene Roebuck will return at the helm of the Fighting Sioux with a career record of 575-104. Last year, he helped North Dakota seal an 18-11, NCAA Division I debut season with a 2009 UND Spring Thaw Tournament championship. The team also finished tied for first in the GWC with a record of 5-1.

Newcomers to the league, Chicago State and Utah Valley, finished tied for second with 40 votes apiece, including two first-place votes each. CSU had a conference-high two players selected to the first team along with a second team selection and two honorable mentions.

Utah Valley had two players selected to the Pre-season All-Great West Conference team, including Julie (McMurray) Smith who was voted preseason player of the year.  

The only other team to receive a first-place nod was South Dakota who finished fourth with 28 votes. Texas-Pan American and Houston Baptist received 17 and 16 votes, respectively and NJIT rounded out the poll with 13 votes.

North Dakota will play Minnesota, Crookston for a final exhibition game on Wednesday, Nov. 4 before opening the regular-season on Friday, Nov. 13 at home against Green Bay. Wednesday's game is scheduled for 7 p.m. and Friday's game is slated for 4 p.m. at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

- Go Sioux -