JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Already ranked No. 14 in Women's Basketball Coaches Association preseason poll, Carson-Newman found itself ranked No. 8 in the first Women's Basketball Division II Media Poll sponsored by D2SIDA and announced yesterday evening.

Carson-Newman is the highest ranked team in the Southeast region and one of the just three teams that are ranked. Anderson checks in at No. 21 and UNC Pembroke sneaks in at No. 25. Georgia Southwestern, the defending Southeast regional champions, received 15 votes to narrowly miss the top 25.

The No. 14 ranking comes after the Lady Eagles made the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history and the sixth time in the past seven seasons, earning a number two seed in the Southeast region, their highest ranking since being the top seed in 2018. C-N had success in the postseason, winning its first two NCAA Tournament games to earn their third trip to the Sweet 16 and regional title game.

A pair of 1,000-point scorers headline Carson-Newman's key returners in Campbell Penland (Sevierville, Tenn.) and Lindsey Taylor (Maryville, Tenn.).

Penland has averaged 10.7 points per game during her three seasons at Mossy Creek and is coming off a season where she served as C-N's third leading scorer. Penland was terrific down the stretch of the season, scoring double digits in 12 of the final 16 games.

Taylor was the fifth-most efficient scorer in 2023-24, making 60% of her shots while averaging 14.7 points per game. She led a rebounding attack that grabbed the ninth most rebounds per game in Division II. Taylor enters her final season 13th on C-N's all-time scoring list with 1,276 points, just nine away from passing Coreen Wells for 12th.

Minnesota State-Mankato received 14 of the 16 first-place votes to earn the top ranking, with the other first place votes going to No. 3 Grand Valley State and No. 5 Gannon.

The Lady Eagles begin the 2024-25 regular season when they head to Greenwood, South Carolina for the SAC/PBC conference crossover starting with Lander on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 4:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on MIX 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.