Lenoir-Rhyne Ranked 23rd, Newberry’s Lepaio an All-American in DII Bulletin Women’s Basketball Preview

BEAVERTON, Ore. – 2013 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship selection Lenoir-Rhyne has been ranked 23rd in the DII Bulletin 2013-14 preseason poll, the publication announced on Monday.

L-R went 19-10 overall in 2012-13 and 13-5 in the SAC to finish second in the league standings. The Bears also reached the semifinal round of the 2013 Food Lion SAC Women's Basketball Championship.

Lenoir-Rhyne allowed a SAC-best 57.2 points per game and 36.3-percent shooting last season to finish as the league's top defense.

The DII Bulletin Preseason All-America Team was also released on Monday, with Newberry forward Haylee Lepaio earning a spot in the publication's "Super 16." Lepaio led the SAC in scoring at 18.1 points per game and ranked second in rebounding at nine per game, earning selections to the All-SAC First Team and the Daktronics All-Southeast Region First Team, along with receiving honorable mention All-America accolades from DII Bulletin and the WBCA.

[Complete DII Bulletin women's basketball preseason release]