ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Northern Sun has released the 2008-09 NSIC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll, with the defending regular season and tournament champion Concordia University Golden Bears picked third in the new-look 14 team league. NSIC Release

The Golden Bears became the first team in league history to defend both the regular season and tournament championships as they stormed to a 28-3 overall record. The 2007-08 Golden Bears, led by six seniors, jumped out to a perfect 18-0 start and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation.

Their season ended at the hands of former NCC member Minnesota State University, Mankato, who are the coaches' pick atop the NSIC Preseason Poll. MSU joins the NSIC for 2008-09 along with Augustana College, who was the other team picked ahead of CU, St. Cloud State (picked 8th) and Minnesota Duluth (picked 10th).

This year, CU was awarded 161 points in the poll while MSU had 179 with 11 first place votes and Augie had 169 and the other three first place votes.

After the top three in the poll, there is a significant drop-off in points, with Winona State in fourth with 130, Wayne State in fifth with 125 and U-Mary in sixth with 120.

This year, Concordia will be led by senior Candace Olstad (F, 6-0, Sr., Elgin, Minn. / Elgin-Millville HS), an NSIC All-Conference Honorable Mention selection last season, who developed into one of the Golden Bears’ most consistent players in 2007-08. On a team with six senior contributors, the junior displayed her experience on the floor, averaging 11.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. Her scoring average stayed at 11.3 or above all season and her rebound average never dipped below 6.4. She shoot 51.2% from the floor and 50.0% from behind the arc. She had four double-doubles including a 20 point, 14 rebound effort at Minnesota Crookston. Last year Olstad was an NSIC all-Academic selection and an NSIC all-tournament pick.

The Golden Bears will look to defend their back-to-back regular season and tournament titles. Since moving to NCAA Division II in 1999-00, CU has won three regular season and three tournament titles in the NSIC and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament all six years they have been eligible for postseason play with seven straight 20-plus winning seasons.