The Wayne State women's basketball team was picked 13
th in the 2025-26 NSIC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll that was announced Thursday morning. Senior forward
Kylah vanDonkersgoed was listed as the Player to Watch this season for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats bring back two starters in vanDonkersgoed and senior guard
Meg Rietz on a squad that went 11-16 overall and 8-14 in league play. WSC received 64 points in the vote.
Minnesota State earned the top spot gaining eight first place votes and 215 points. Concordia-St. Paul and Sioux Falls followed with 202 points each with CSP garnering four first place votes and three for USF. St. Cloud State took the remaining first place vote and are picked fifth behind Southwest Minnesota State who earned 172 points.
vanDonkersgoed, the 6-1 senior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, started in all 27 games last season for the 'Cats and averaged 11.3 points to go with 5.1 rebounds. She led the team in total rebounds with 139 and was second last season in blocks with 24. vanDonkersgoed shot 38.1 percent from the floor and 30.1 percent beyond the arc.
Wayne State opens their season at the Central Region Challenge on November 14
th when they take on Emporia State in St. Joseph, Missouri. The first home game is set to take place November 22
nd against Chadron State at 5 p.m. in Wayne, Neb.
2024-25 Preseason NSIC Women's Basketball Coaches Poll
1. Minnesota State (8) 215 pts.
2. Concordia-St. Paul (4) 202 pts.
Sioux Falls (3) 202 pts.
4. Southwest Minnesota State 172 pts.
5. St. Cloud State (1) 155 pts.
6. University of Mary 152 pts.
7. MSU Moorhead 140 pts.
8. Minnesota Duluth 139 pts.
9.. Minot State 110 pts.
10. Northern State 107 pts.
11. Minnesota Crookston 85 pts.
12. Winona State 75 pts.
13. Wayne State 65 pts.
14. Bemidji State 42 pts.
15. Jamestown 32 pts.
16. Augustana 28 pts.
first place votes in ( )
South Division
1. Minnesota State (6) 48 pts.
2. Concordia-St. Paul (2) 41 pts.
3.. Sioux Falls 37 pts.
4. St. Cloud State 31 pts.
5. Southwest Minnesota State 28 pts.
6. Winona State 17 pts.
7. Wayne State 13 pts.
8. Augustana 9 pts.
North Division
1. MSU Moorhead (3) 43 pts.
2. UMary (2) 42 pts.
3.. Minnesota Duluth (2) 37 pts.
4. Minota State 30 pts.
5. Northern State (1) 27 pts.
6. Minnesota Crookston 22 pts.
7. Bemidji State 13 pts.
8. Jamestown 10 pts