The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle women’s basketball team was picked to finish 15th of 16 schools in the NSIC Preseason Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll released this week. Minnesota State Mankato was picked to win the league again this year and Concordia-St. Paul was picked to finish second.
The Golden Eagles are in their fourth season under Head Coach Natalie Moynihan. Moynihan. The Golden Eagles graduate the NSIC’s all-time leading scorer Emma Miller, but have a great mix of returning talent and newcomers for the season. The Golden Eagles are guided by Rayna Klejeski (Sr., Barnum), who had a break-out season in 2025-26. Klejeski averaged 12.5 points and 6.1 boards per game as a junior for Minnesota Crookston. Klejeski is the NSIC Player to Watch for Minnesota Crookston. Klejeski shot 51.8 percent from the field, and 82.6 percent from the stripe, as a junior. “Rayna took a huge jump for us last year becoming our second leading scorer (12.6PPG) and leading rebounder (6.1RBG),” Moynihan stated. “She has become a huge offensive force for us in the paint and has only gotten better over the summer. I am excited to see what Rayna brings to our team this season both on and off the court!”
Additionally, the Golden Eagles return starters Anna Westby (So., Eveleth), and Halle Winjum (Jr., Crookston) to the fray. Westby notched 10.2 points and 5.4 boards per game as a freshman, while WInjum averaged 3.8 points and 3.3 rebounds. The Golden Eagles also return Tayden Hanks (Sr.,Los Lunas, N.M.), Brynlea Mahlen (Jr., Fosston), and Taylor Dirkes (So., Osakis), who all saw time in 2025-26. Caleigh Adams (Jr., Bakersfield, Calif.) was with the team, but did not play due to injury.
The Golden Eagles also have a talented group of newcomers, who will look to contribute this season including: Maija Lamppa (Fr., G, Eveleth, Minn.), Lexi Lamppa (Fr., Eveleth), Lexi Mahlen (Fr., Fosston), Chloe Boll (Fr., Crookston), Cassie Ririnui (Jr., Tauranga, New Zealand), Maggie Hydes (Fr., Louisville, Ky.), and Hanna Bultman (Fr., Oak Creek, Wis.). Minnesota Crookston opens the season Friday, November 13 at the University of Nebraska Kearney in Kearney, Nebraska.
UMary’s Allison Undlin was named the NSIC Preseason North Division Player of the Year, while Concordia-St. Paul’s Lauren Wilson was selected as the NSIC Preseason South Division Player of the Year.
The 12-team NSIC Women’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championship are set to take place February 27-March 2 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The tournament will be seeded using the NSIC 22-game schedule, with the top four seeds receiving a first-round bye. First round games will be played on campus on Wednesday, February 24.
