UT to begin 2014-15 season ranked 14th

TAMPA, Fla.- After a successful 2013-14 season, which saw the Spartans women's basketball team reach the NCAA South Region Final, Tampa will begin the 2014-15 season ranked as the number 14 team in the USA TODAY Sports Top 25 Division II coaches' poll.

Last year's National Runner Up, West Texas A&M, begins the season as the number one ranked team. West Texas A&M received eight first place votes in the poll. Last year National Champion, Bentley, starts the season in the five spot.

Tampa is one of three Sunshine State Conference teams in the poll, as Nova Southeastern University is ranked 4th, and Rollins College is ranked 23rd.

The Spartans returns three starters from last year's roster, including Ellen Nurmi , Juliana Cavallaro, and Taylor McVey. Nurmi was the Spartans leading scorer last season as she averaged 11.8 points per game, as well as totaling 88 assists on the season. Cavallaro averaged 10.7 points per game, while dishing out 86 assists. McVey led the Spartans with 7.1 rebounds per game.

The 2014-15 season, begins for the Spartans on November 14 in the Spartan Challenge Tournament against Flagler College, and they continue the tournament on the 15th against Georgia College.

The USA TODAY Sports committee of coaches is made up of 32 head coaches at Division II institutions. All are members of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

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