WINGATE, N.C. — The Belmont Abbey women's basketball team was ranked No. 8 in the preseason D2CSC Southeast Regional Poll released Wednesday.

The Crusaders are back in the poll after finishing 23-8 last season and advanced to the Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship game last season for the second straight year.

Belmont Abbey was ranked as high as No. 4 in the poll last season and faces four teams in the Top 10 of the region in the initial poll this season.

The full poll is listed below.

SOUTHEAST REGION - TOP 10

Rank	School (First-Place Votes)	W-L	Pts.
1	Carson-Newman (5)	24-10	59
2	Anderson	22-9	46
3	UNC Pembroke	23-8	40
4	Georgia Southwestern (1)	29-4	38
5	Catawba	24-6	29
6	Columbus State	19-10	26
7	Wingate	22-10	24
8	Belmont Abbey	23-8	22
9	Lenoir-Rhyne	22-9	21
10	North Georgia	17-12	11
Receiving Votes:  Augusta, Emmanuel

 
Belmont Abbey opens the 2024-25 season with a pair of games as part of the Conference Carolinas/SAC Challenge. The Crusaders face Mars Hill at 3 p.m. Friday at Mars Hill before facing Emory & Henry at 1 p.m. Saturday.

All of the regional polls plus the national poll can be found here.