CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Cascade Collegiate Conference has just announced its 2021-22 Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll. Eastern Oregon enters the year picked to finish second as voted upon by the league coaches.

The Mountaineers tallied 127 points in the preseason poll and picked up one first place vote to grab the No. 2 spot. The preseason ranking comes after Eastern posted a 16-4 in the modified 2020-21 season that did not complete until the spring.

In the modified 2020-21 campaign, the Mountaineers were also 8-2 in CCC spring play and finished second behind eventual champion Bushnell. Three players were named to the All-CCC team led by Player of the Spring Beverly Slater. Guards Sailor Liefke and Taylor Stricklin also were named First Team All-CCC followed by Jillian Albright who was named Honorable Mention.

Three of the four Mountaineers All-CCC selections along with a core group of letterwinners from the 2020-21 season are back this year. Led by Slater, Stricklin, and Liefke, Eastern will look to contend for a CCC crown once again this year.

Taking the preseason top spot is Bushnell University who picked up 10 first place votes and had 142 points. Lewis-Clark State College is slotted third after being one of two teams last season that was able to play a traditional basketball season last year and was the CCC Champion for the regular season. 

Oregon Tech is picked to finish fourth with 104 points followed by Southern Oregon University with 97 points to round out the top-five. The full CCC preseason poll can be found below.

The 2021-22 campaign is set to begin this weekend for the Mountaineer women who will compete in the Simpson Classic in Redding, Calif. Season Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here. A full season preview for EOU Women's Basketball will be released later today. 

2021-22 CCC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll

Team (First-Place Votes)	Points
1. Bushnell University (10)	142
2. Eastern Oregon University (1)	127
3. Lewis-Clark State College (1)	114
4. Oregon Tech	104
5. Southern Oregon University	97
6. Corban University	82
7. Northwest University	70
8. Warner Pacific University	65
9. College of Idaho	56
10. The Evergreen State College	35
11. Multnomah University	25
12. Walla Walla University	19

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