Bruins are unanimous pick to repeat as NSAA Women's Golf Champions

MADISON, S.D. -- The North Star Athletic Association's defending-women's golf champion Bellevue University was chosen as the favorite to claim the 2016-17 NSAA Championship in the annual coaches' preseason poll.

Bellevue collected all seven first place votes to gain 49 points in the poll. BU won the inaugural NSAA Women's Golf Tournament in 2016 – their fifth-straight conference title – to qualify for the NAIA National Tournament for the fourth-straight year. The Bruins finished in a tie for eighth place (with USC-Beaufort) at the National Tournament.

Viterbo was picked to finish second after tallying 38 points in the preseason poll. Jamestown recorded 34 points to finish third, followed by Waldorf and Dickinson State in fourth and fifth place with 29 and 20 points, respectively. Valley City State was predicted to finish sixth with 18 points and Presentation seventh with seven points.

There are four rounds in the NSAA Women's Golf Conference Tournament, with the first two rounds being held in the fall on Sept. 26-27 in Albert Lea, Minn., hosted by Waldorf. The final two rounds take place in the spring on April 24-25 in La Crosse, Wis., hosted by Viterbo.

The winner of the NSAA Women's Golf Conference Tournament – after all four rounds (two in fall, two in spring) are complete – will receive an automatic team bid to the NAIA National Tournament. The 2017 NAIA Women's Golf National Tournament is slated to take place in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. from May 23-26.

Here is the complete 2016-17 NSAA Women's Golf Preseason Coaches' Poll:

1. Bellevue (7) – 49
2. Viterbo – 38
3. Jamestown – 34
4. Waldorf – 29
5. Dickinson State – 20
6. Valley City State – 18
7. Presentation – 7