NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College women's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the UMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll released by the conference on Thursday.

The Knights finished last season 10-16 overall and 8-8 in league play, good for fifth place in the final conference standings. That finished helped MLC to its ninth-consecutive trip to the UMAC Postseason Tournament.

MLC returns three senior starters from that team in Jade St. Germaine, Grace Schultz and Hailey Johnson. St. Germaine earned Honorable Mention All-UMAC honors last season after finishing in the top five in the conference in rebounds, blocks and points per game. Schultz was named to the UMAC All-Defense Team a year ago, and enters this season fourth in program history with 898 career points.

Also returning will be several players from last season hoping to build off last season's experience with a bigger role this season, as well as Moriah Hackbarth, who returns to the program after missing last season due to injury. 

UW-Superior was the unanimous pick to win the conference with all eight possible first-place votes and 64 total points in the poll. Minnesota Morris finished second with 52 points and one first-place vote, followed by Northwestern with 51 total points. MLC finished the poll with 33 total points. 

You can see the full release from the UMAC with the full poll if you click here. 

MLC will open the season on Wednesday, November 15, at Saint Mary's (Minn.). That game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.