Peru State WBB Picked Sixth in Heart Preseason

(Peru, Neb.) – Clarke (Iowa) has been picked as the favorite to claim title in the 2020-21 Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll.
 
The Pride finished as the top point-getter in the poll after claiming 8-of-14 first-place votes and collecting 162 points. Clarke finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 25-7 overall record (18-6 Heart) and appeared in the semifinal round of the conference tournament. Head coach Courtney Boyd will enter her fourth season at the helm of the program and is set to return 13 players from last season's roster, including a pair of NAIA All-Americans that combined for 28.2 points per game.

 
Coach Joan Albury's team finished the 2019-20 season with an overall record of 13-15. The Bobcats were 10-14 in the Heart which was good for ninth last year of 14 teams. Peru State will be returning five players who had varsity playing experience from last year, including honorable mention All-American Alyssa Marsh-Contreras (Omaha).
 
Central Methodist (Mo.), the defending regular-season and conference tournament champion, is anticipated to be this season's runner-up after tallying 144 points and nabbing three first-place votes. The Eagles had a record-breaking season last year that included an overall record of 31-2 while going 22-2 in league play. CMU lost 14 letterwinners from last year's roster, but picked up a trio of key transfers and a number of promising newcomers to help fill the gap this season.
 
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) landed at the No. 3 slot after securing two first-place votes and earning 141 points, followed by Evangel (Mo.) who claimed the final first-place vote and totaled 136 points. William Penn (Iowa) rounded out the anticipated top five finishers with 135 points.
 
On Friday, Oct. 16, the Heart will conduct is virtual media day in a new format. Every school and coach will be available via zoom at a scheduled time. Coach Albury will be on zoom from 2:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The zoom meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. The link for the women's basketball media day is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81076344934?pwd=b2xGeTk1d09pdm5kdXpPNHVjRFMwZz09
 
Voting for the polls was calculated with a first-place vote earning 13 points, a second-place vote earning 12 points, and so on in descending order. Coaches did not include their own team on their respective ballots.
 
2020-21 HEART WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES' PRESEASON POLL