KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dakota Wesleyan Women's Basketball will begin the season as the number-nine team in the country following the release of the NAIA's preseason women's basketball top 25 poll.
The Tigers finished the 2024-25 season ranked 13th in the country, and with a core group of returners, the team looks to carry its momentum from last year into the upcoming season. The team qualified for the 2025 NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament, where they were knocked out in the second round by Langston, who sits at 11th in this year's preseason poll.
Dakota Wesleyan's upcoming schedule remains one of the toughest in the country, with seven teams on the Tigers' schedule listed in the top 25, with an eighth team receiving votes. In the GPAC, DWU is ranked alongside Dordt, which is the top team in the nation, Hastings (12), and Briar Cliff (20). DWU will also face the third and fourth-ranked teams in the NAIA when they square off against Campbellsville and Dakota State, respectively, along with matchups against No. 13 MidAmerica Nazarene and No. 18 Arizona Christian.
Head Coach Jason Christensen mentions the weight of this year's initial ranking, but also notes the importance of staying consistent all the way through postseason play, stating that "We're very grateful to be in the top 10 going into the season, but as everyone knows, it doesn't matter where we start in November. It's all about where we finish in March."
The Tigers will kick off their season on the road at Division I opponent, Drake, down in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, October 28th, at 6:00 PM. See the full 2025-26 schedule here.