WHITEFISH, Mont. – Rocky Mountain College earned a No. 2 ranking in the Frontier Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Senior Markaela Francis was picked to the 2019-20 Frontier Conference Preseason All-Conference Team. 

The Battlin' Bears earned 25 points in the poll and finished only behind Carroll College who earned 36 points and six first place votes. 

Rocky went 20-13 last season and ranked No. 20 in the 2018-19 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Final Top 25 Poll. According to available records, it was the first time that the Battin' Bears had back-to-back 20-win seasons in school history.

Rocky's season ended with a 65-57 loss to Shawnee State in the first round of the 2019 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship. 

The Battlin' Bears will return several key starters including second team all-conference forward Markaela Francis and the 2018-19 Frontier Conference Freshman of the Year, Kloie Thatcher.

Francis was also one of five players picked to the 2019 Frontier Conference Preseason All-Conference Team today. The senior forward scored 370 points last season while recording 183 rebounds and 55 assists.

University of Providence's Emilee Maldonado was picked as the 2019-20 Frontier Conference Preseason Player of the Year.