WACO, Texas (Oct. 7, 2015) – Oklahoma Christian was picked seventh in the Heartland Conference preseason women's basketball poll, released earlier this week.

In voting by the NCAA Division II league's coaches and sports information directors, the Lady Eagles received 87 points, placing them three spots below where they finished during the 2014-15 season, when they tied for fourth with a 9-9 league record and a 12-14 overall mark.

Lubbock Christian (Texas), which spent time in the Division II national rankings last season, topped the Heartland poll with 196 points and 17 first-place votes. Arkansas-Fort Smith, which shared the league's regular-season title with Lubbock Christian, was second with 176 points and three first-place votes. St. Mary's (Texas) was third with 147 points.

St. Edward's (Texas) was fourth with 144 points, followed by Texas-Permian Basin with 104 points, Texas A&M International with 103 points, OC, Newman (Kan.) with 71 points, Rogers State with 47 points and Oklahoma Panhandle State with 25 points.

The Lady Eagles return two full-time starters and all-conference picks, forward McKenzie Stanford and guard Sydney Hill, along with five other players – seniors Jasmine Hinton, Aisha Martin and Daisha Gonzaque and juniors Emma Gade and Kylie Hicks – who started at least one game last season.

OC also has added a pair of junior-college transfers, Sarah Parker and Hannah Holasek, who figure to bolster the team's inside presence.

OC will be eligible this season to compete for a spot in the eight-team Heartland postseason tournament, which will be played in Tulsa.

The Lady Eagles will host York (Neb.) in an exhibition game on Nov. 7 before opening the regular season on Nov. 13 at Colorado-Colorado Springs. OC's regular-season home opener will be Nov. 17 against Central Oklahoma.