LA MIRADA, Calif. --- In recognition of the Eagles No. 14 ranking in the NAIA last season, Biola Women's Basketball was placed eighth of 14 teams in the PacWest Preseason Poll released on Wednesday.

"We are very excited about our move into the PacWest Conference and NCAA Division II," said third-year Head Coach Alan Nakamura. "Our game schedule for the coming year is challenging. But our team is excited, motivated and prepared to meet the test as a team."

The test of top-caliber teams that the PacWest presents is one that the Eagles will be familiar with because of their history with the NAIA national-title contenders present in the Golden State Athletic Conference. The PacWest sent three teams to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championships last season and saw No.3-ranked California Baptist advance to the semifinals.

CBU came in third in this season's preseason poll even though the Lancers went 20-0 in conference last season. Azusa Pacific and Point Loma received 14 more points than California Baptist in the voting and were tied at the top of the poll.

The Eagles are coming off their own appearance in a national tournament and a 13-3 GSAC record in the NAIA last season. Three member of their starting five (Joclyn Kirton, Annie Park and DeMoria White) earned All-American recognitions and White will return this season to lead Biola at the point guard position.

White has been Biola's leading scorer for the past two season and was particularly sharp from beyond the arc last year, sinking 90 three-point shots. She will be joined in the backcourt by a collection of guards who will help White collect a number of assists when they spot up around the three-point line.

Sophomores Tatum Brimley and Kayla Macedo both showed sparks of skill and potential for growth in their first season of collegiate basketball. Additionally, Danielle Kennedy and Brenna Khaw will return after redshirting last season to provide even more depth and experience to the Eagles roster.

Biola is also helped with a collection of forwards whose brand of play allows the Eagles to adjust to whatever their opponents throw at them.

"We are blessed to have a high quality group of young ladies in our program," said Nakamura. "We have asked for an increased commitment to our pre-season training, and they have met the challenge with a strong group effort. They do an outstanding job of looking out for each other, and of taking care of business in the classroom and on the court."

Biola starts its PacWest schedule in grand fashion by traveling to Hawai'i at the end of November to play Hawai'i Pacific on Nov. 30 and Hawai'i-Hilo on Dec. 2. Then the Eagles will take part in their first rivalry games with Azusa Pacific when the new year rolls around. The Cornerstone Cup matchups with be on Saturday Jan. 6 in Azusa and Saturday Feb. 3 in Chase Gym.

Nakamura's team plays its first countable game as an NCAA Division II member at Cal Poly Pomona on Nov. 14. Then Biola has its first home game two days later against Northwest Nazarene.