Augustana Vikings

Location: Sioux Falls, S.D.

Coach: Dave Krauth, 21st year, 397-185 overall.

2008-09 record: 13-7 NSIC (fourth), 20-10 overall.

Top returner: Megan Doyle, 5-foot-7, jr., guard, 14.1 points per game, 109 assists.

Notes: Augie was selected for the North Central region tournament before falling in the first round to eventual national champion MSU-Mankato. ... Doyle was an All-NSIC second-team selection.

Bemidji State Beavers

Location: Bemidji, Minn.

Coach: Mike Curfman, fifth year, 40-44.

2008-09 record: 1-19 NSIC (14th), 3-24 overall.

Top returner: Sydney Epema, 5-foot-8, so., guard, 11.1 points per game, 73 3-pointers.

Notes: The Beavers are picked to finish 13th in the NSIC preseason poll.

Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears

Location: St. Paul, Minn.

Coach: Paul Fessler, 10th season at CSP, 300-96 overall.

2008-09 record: 11-9 NSIC (eighth), 21-12 overall.

Top returner: Jamie Jones, 5-foot-5, sr., guard, 11.7 points per game, 58 3-pointers, 133 assists.

Notes: Jones was named to the NSIC all-tournament team. ... Fessler is the ninth-winningest active coach in NCAA Division II.

U-Mary Marauders

Location: Bismarck

Coach: Fred Fridley, seventh season, 128-51.

2008-09 record: 10-10 NSIC (ninth), 15-12 overall.

Top returner: Abby Bratlien, 6-foot-1, jr., guard, 8.9 points per game.

Notes: Schulz, the leading returning scorer, was denied an extra semester of eligibility.

Minnesota-Crookston

Golden Eagles

Location: Crookston, Minn.

Coach: Mike Roysland, fourth season, 15-66 overall.

2008-09 record: 5-15 NSIC (12th), 9-18 overall.

Top returner: Jamie Zelinsky, 5-foot-11, jr., guard, 16.0 points per game.

Notes: Zelinsky led the Golden Eagles in scoring 14 times last season.

Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

Location: Duluth, Minn.

Coach: Annette Wiles, second season at UMD, 300-141 overall.

2008-09 record: 13-7 NSIC (fifth), 16-12 overall.

Top returner: Jheri Booker, 5-10, jr., forward, 15.3 points a game, 99 steals.

Notes: Booker was the NSIC defensive player of the year last season and is this season's preseason player of the year. Booker tied UMD's single-season record in steals and failed to score in double digits only seven times.

MSU-Mankato Mavericks

Location: Mankato, Minn.

Coach: Pam Gohl, second season, 32-2 overall.

2008-09 record: 19-1 NSIC (first), 32-2 overall.

Top returner: Tiffany Moe, 5-foot-9, sr., guard, 11.0 points per game, 136 assists.

Notes: The Mavericks are the defending national champions. ... Moe was an All-NSIC second team selection. She was fifth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.34.

MSU-Moorhead Dragons

Location: Moorhead, Minn.

Coach: Karla Nelson, ninth season, 144-89 overall.

2008-09 record: 14-6 NSIC (third), 22-8 overall.

Top returner: Meghan Rettke, 6-foot-3, sr., center, 13.5 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game.

Notes: Rettke was an All-NSIC first-team selection. She set a school single-game record in rebounds with 22. ... Nelson is a former player for the University of North Dakota.

Northern State Wolves

Location: Aberdeen, S.D.

Coach: Curt Fredrickson, 31th season.656-223 overall.

2008-09 record: 8-12 NSIC (10th), 12-15 overall.

Top returner: Jodi Reinschmidt, 5-foot-11, jr., forward, 11.1 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game.

Notes: Reinschmidt played in 11 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. ... Fredrickson is the second-winningest active NCAA II women's basketball coach.

Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs

Location: Marshall, Minn.

Coach: Mike Jewett, fourth season at SMSU, 95-73 overall.

2008-09 record: 6-14 NSIC (11th), 14-16 overall.

Top returner: Tori Fink, 5-foot-7, jr., guard, 8.4 points per game, 78 assists.

Notes: Fink started 23 of 30 games last season.

St. Cloud State Huskies

Location: St. Cloud, Minn.

Coach: Lori Fish, second season at SCSU, 84-62.

2008-09 record: 12-8 NSIC (sixth), 22-9 overall.

Top returner: Talisha Barlow, 5--8, jr., guard, 12.5 points per game.

Notes: Barlow was an All-NSIC second team pick and has played in 59 straight games.

Upper Iowa Peacocks

Location: Fayette, Iowa.

Coach: Mike Brown, second season at UI, 120-100 overall.

2008-09 record: 1-19 NSIC (13th), 5-22 overall.

Top returner: Lana Otting, 5-foot-9, so., point guard, 10.3 points, 4.5 assists per game.

Notes: Brown served as the interim head coach last season. ... Otting, a true freshman last year, led the conference in NSIC minutes played per game with 33.8.

Wayne State Wildcats

Location: Wayne, Neb.

Coach: Chris Kielsmeier, second season at WSC, 194-57.

2008-09 record: 12-8 NSIC (seventh), 15-13 overall.

Top returner: Mara Hjelle, 6-foot-2, jr., C, 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds per game.

Notes: Hjelle was named to the All-NSIC second team and scored in double figures the last eight games and 11 of the last 12.

Winona State Warriors

Location: Winona, Minn.

Coach: Scott Ballard, sixth season at WSU, 342-204 overall.

2008-09 record: 15-5 NSIC (second), 24-7 overall.

Top returner: Ana Wurtz, 5-foot-8, sr., guard, 16.5 points a game.

Notes: Ballard begins his 30th overall season at the helm. His high school coaching record is 199-55. ... Last season's second-place finish in the conference was the best in the history of the program.