Spartans Tabbed Eighth in Preseason Poll
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Coming off arguably the best season in program history, the University of Tampa women's basketball team is ranked eighth in the nation and first in the South Region, according to the D2CCA NCAA Division II Preseason Poll.
Tampa is coming off a memorable 2019-20 season where it set a Sunshine State Conference record with 19 league victories to claim the regular-season championship. Overall, UT was 24-5 and slated to play in the NCAA South Regional when the season was halted due to Covid-19.
The Spartans return four starters from last season's squad that also rattled off a school-record 19 straight wins during the historic season. D2CCA South Region and Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year Dori Nagy is among the returners for UT as the senior led all Spartans, averaging 16.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Fellow first-team all-SSC performer LaShayla Wright-Ponder also returns after averaging 13.7 points and 8.4 rebounds as a junior and shooting among national leaders with a 59.2 percent field goal clip. Melijah Sullivan also received all-SSC honors while averaging 14.6 points per game as a sophomore.
This marks the first time since 2015-16 when the Spartans appeared in the preseason top-25 as the No. 8 showing represents a program-best. UT has been ranked 10 seasons under current head coach Tom Jessee as the program previously appeared in the national rankings just one time (1993-94). The high ranking in program history is No. 5, which came in the third week of the 2014-15 season.
The D2CCA poll is selected by Athletic Communications Directors from NCAA Division II schools for both the national and regional installments. Sponsored by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association, the organization encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.