BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University women's golf team was picked to finish eighth in the annual 12-team NSIC Preseason Conference Poll released this afternoon.
 
Augustana was picked to win the conference earning 114 points including six first place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own team). Minnesota State, last season's conference champion, also earned six first place votes but finished with 113 points to finish in second. Concordia-St. Paul and Sioux Falls both recorded 91 points for third place followed by Minot State (82), Bemidji State (62), Upper Iowa (61), SMSU (52), St. Cloud State (46) and Winona State (37) rounding out the top 10.
 
SMSU junior Hannah Kohls was named a NSIC Athlete to Watch this season. Kohls is the team's top returning letter winner after finishing first last season with an 82.7 stroke average in 19 rounds including one top 10 finish. Kohls finished with a 37-over 253 to finish tied for 19th at last spring's NSIC Championships. Her 83.3 career stroke average ranks sixth in team history.  
 
SMSU opens the 2019 fall season on Sept. 9-10 at the Bemidji State Tournament at Bemidji Town and Country Club.