NCAA Division 1 features around 10 000 student athletes from all parts of the globe. They represent 351 different programs – both men and women – while competing in 32 smaller leagues (conferences).

Eight conferences are so-called power conferences. These include:

ACC – Atlantic Coast Conference,

AAC – American Athletic Conference,

BE – Big East,

B10 – Big Ten,

B12 – Big 12,

Pac12 – Pacific 12,

SEC – South Eastern Conference,

A10 – Atlantic 10.

The other conferences, including academically prestigious Ivy League, are referred to as “mid-major” conferences.

Kadri-Ann Lass and Duquesne Dukes (Pittsburgh) led by head coach Dan Burt won the 2016 Atlantic 10 regular season and earned the program`s first ever NCAA tournament bid.

Lass was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week (ROW) seven times or every second week of the season. She became first ever Duquesne player to win three consecutive ROW honors.

The Dukes didn`t stopped there. After losing a A-10 championship game against George Washington University, they rebounded with their first ever NCAA tournament win over Seton Hall.

Lass started all 34 games in her freshman year, averaging 11,2 points and 5,8 rebounds in 32,4 minutes of action.

Duquesne and Dayton – Sam Mackay`s former school – are tied for second in the 2017 Preseason poll behind Saint Louis.

Kate Krēsliņa will play her first NCAA exhibition game later today when Fordham Rams will host Muhlenberg.

Latvia national team guard missed the 2016 season due to ACL injury.

Fordham finished sixth in the poll. Rams won the 2014 Atlantic 10 championship led by coaching duo of Stephanie Gaitley and Angelika Szumilo.

Kitija Laksa also made her first NCAA tournament appearance in her freshman year, representing the University of South Florida.

Sharpshooter`s debut was so impressive that she won the AAC Rookie of the Year award, leaving behind players from UConn and other well known schools.

Laksa was included in the 2017 AAC preseason first team, while the Bulls – led by coach Jose Fernandez – were predicted to finish third behind Connecticut and Temple.

Paula Strautmane earned three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Rookie of the Week awards in her freshman season for the Quinnipiac University.

Bobcats finished the 2016 MAAC regular season with 17 consecutive wins. They added two more wins in the MAAC championship before falling in the final game.

Patricia Fabbri`s team is picked first in the 2017 MAAC coaches poll.

Other Division 1 players from Latvia are:

Asnate Fomina (Fordham),

Rūta Vētra (New Jersey Institute of Technology),

Elīna Bērziņa (Southern Illinois University at Edvardsville),

Anna Dreimane (Colorado State University).

Division 2 players:

Jane Svilberg (Palm Beach Atlantic University),

Marta Miščenko (Wingate University).

Read also: Well connected - NCAA and WBBL http://www.wbbl.eu/en/news?news_id=121