BURNSVILLE, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's swimming and diving team has been picked to finish first in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

MSU received nine first-pace votes and 81 points to claim the top spot in the poll. St. Cloud State followed in second place with 67 points and one first-place vote, while Augustana came in third with 66 points.

Last season, the Mavericks claimed their fourth NSIC Championship as they recorded 1,166.5 points at the NSIC Championships. MSU finished nearly 400 points ahead of St. Cloud State, which finished second at the NSIC Championships.
In total, 15 Mavericks from last season's team earned All-NSIC honors.

Junior Savannah Acker was named the NSIC Preseason Swimmer of the Year. Last season, Acker earned All-NSIC honors in seven events at the NSIC Championships, including first-place finishes in the 200 IM (2:04.24), the 400 IM (4:25.57), the 100 backstroke (55.48), the 200 backstroke (2:02.01), the 200 freestyle relay (1:33.34) and the 400 medley relay (3:46.77).

Acker would go on to compete in four events at the NCAA Championships, including the 200 IM, the 200 backstroke, the 400 IM and the 100 backstroke. She would win an All-American Honorable Mention in the 100 backstroke at the NCAA Championships as she finished 10th with a time of 55.24.

Senior Natalie Freeman has been named Minnesota State's Diver to Watch for the upcoming season. Last season, Freeman was named the NSIC Diver of the Week five times. Freeman would go on to earn All-NSIC honors in the 1-meter diving event at the NSIC Championships as she finished second with a score of 422.95.

Freeman competed in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events at the NCAA Championships. She finished 22nd in the 3-meter diving event and earned an All-American Honorable Mention in the 1-meter diving event as she finish in 10th place with a score of 328.85.

Minnesota State will compete in a Purple vs. Gold Intersquad scrimmage on Sept. 25 at 3:00 p.m. The Mavericks open their regular season schedule on Oct. 2 as they host South Dakota at Highland Pool with the dual scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m.