The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference released the 2019-20 women's basketball preseason coaches' poll, and the Peacocks were selected 16
th overall and 8
th in the NSIC South Division.
Minnesota State University Moorhead was selected by the league coaches as the overall and north division preseason favorite for the 2019-20 season. The Dragons collected nine first place votes and a total of 217 points. University of Sioux Falls was the coaches' choice in the south division, and received six first place votes and 214 points to rank second overall.
Upper Iowa is anxious to get onto the court and prove they have made strides forward under new Head Coach
Nate Oakland in 2019-20. Oakland came to Upper Iowa after serving as the assistant coach at North Dakota State University the previous two years. The Peacocks finished the 2018-19 season with a 3-28 mark and a second straight conference mark of 0-22. Upper Iowa returns three of their four leaders from a season ago including NSIC Player to Watch
Natalie Dinius (8.5 ppg),
Savannah Domeyer (8.1 ppg) and
Bekka Pierson (7.9 ppg). The Peacocks will have to replace graduate
Haley Martin (7.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg), but a mix of returners and new faces are set to push the Peacocks toward a successful season.
NSIC Player to Watch – #5 Natalie Dinius (G, 5'8, Jr., Canby, Minn., Canby HS)
- Played in and started all 31 games for UIU in 2018-19 and led the team in scoring with 8.5 points per game
- Shot 37.0% (61-165) from three-point range and 71.2% (42-59) from the free throw line
- Scored a season-high 16 points against Emmaus Bible College and hit double figures 13 times last season
The regular season champion will be based on the 22-game NSIC schedule. Each team will play teams in their division twice (14) and teams in the other division once (8). An NSIC North and South Division Champion will also be awarded. Divisional standings will also be based on all 22 NSIC contests played. In the case of a tie, co-champions will be awarded. The 16-team NSIC / Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships are set to take place March 1-3 at the Sanford Health Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. First round games will be played on the campus of the top eight seeds on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Upper Iowa will play an exhibition game at the University of Northern Iowa on Oct. 27 and then open their non-conference schedule at the Central Region Challenge at University of Arkansas at Monticello. UIU will face the host school and Southern Arkansas University on Nov. 8-9. UIU's first home action is on Nov. 13 against McKendree University, while the teams' first NSIC game of the season is on Nov. 30 at home against Winona State University.
