Coming off a 2006-07 season, where the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team broke 40 school records, advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight and won the NCAA South Central Regional, the Lone Star Conference Tournament and the Lone Star Conference North Division title, in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Division II Coaches' pre-season coaches poll, the Lions are ranked No. 12.

At the top of the poll is the University of North Dakota, who like the Lions advanced to the Elite Eight. The defending national champion Southern Connecticut State is No. 2, Emporia State of the MIAA is No. 3, Lone Star Conference rival West Texas A&M is No. 4 and Delta State (Miss.) is No. 5 to round out the top five and another Lions foe in 2007-08 is No. 6 Washburn.

USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Division II Coaches' Pre-Season Poll:
1. University of North Dakota (12)
2. Southern Connecticut State University (12)
3. Emporia State University (1)
4. West Texas A&M University
5. Delta State University (2)
6. Washburn University
T-7. Bentley College
T-7. Clayton State University
9. Drury University
10. University of California - San Diego
11. Valdosta State University
12. Texas A&M University-Commerce
13. Shaw University
14. University of Alaska Anchorage
15. California State University, Chico
16. Indiana University of Pennsylvania
17. Missouri Western State
18. Northern Kentucky University
19. Grand Valley State University
20. Gannon University
21. Glenville State College
22. Augustana College (S.D.)
23. Lewis University
24. Newberry College
25. Florida Institute of Technology

In another pre-season poll, announced last week, the Women's Division II Bulletin Pre-Season Top 25, the Lions are ranked No. 20.

Women's Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25:
1. North Dakota
2. Southern Connecticut
3. Emporia State
4. West Texas A&M
5. Drury
6. Bentley
7. Delta State
8. Washburn
9. Alaska Anchorage
10. Shaw
11. Indiana (Pa.)
12. Clayton State
13. Valdosta State
14. UC San Diego
15. Gannon
16. Newberry
17. Florida Tech
18. Concord
19. Northern Kentucky
20. Texas A&M Commerce
21. USC Aiken
22. Rollins
23. California (Pa.)
24. Grand Valley State
25. Chico State


Earlier this fall, A&M-Commerce was picked to repeat as Lone Star Conference North Division Champions and junior Britney Jordan was picked as the LSC North Division Pre-Season Player of the Year.