Marist Unanimous Pick in Women's Preseason Poll
MAAC Sports
Edison, N.J. - The 2013 MAAC Women’s Basketball Champion, Marist College, has again been selected the preseason favorite to win the title in 2014, according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Marist was the unanimous choice, with all 11 first-place votes and 121 points, followed by last season’s runnerup, Iona College, in second place with 106 points. Newcomer and 2012 NCAA qualifier Quinnipiac University was third with 102 points. Fairfield University followed in fourth place with 86 points, while Rider University rounded out the top five with 69 points. Canisius College received 54 points to finish sixth, trailed by Siena College in seventh with 51 points. Niagara University received 47 points in eighth, followed by Monmouth University with 43 points in ninth. Manhattan College received 34 points to finish tenth, while Saint Peter's University was eleventh with 13 points to round out the poll.
Last season, the Red Foxes won their eighth consecutive MAAC Championship and ninth in the past 10 seasons. The Marist women's basketball team swept the MAAC regular season going 18-0 for the first time since 2010-11 and third time overall. Returning starters from last season include 2012-13 Defensive Player of the Year Leanne Ockenden, second team selection Casey Dulin, and third team selection Emma O’Connor. Ockenden was tied for 6th in the league with 2.2 steals per contest and tied for 11th in blocked shots. Dulin finished the season ranking in the top 15 in six statistical categories. O’Connor finished 2nd in the league with a .518 field goal percentage. 2013 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year Brian Giorgis will also look to All-Rookie selection sophomore Sydney Coffey to help lead Marist to its ninth consecutive title and continue their success in the MAAC.
Iona returns all five starters from a team that made it to last season’s MAAC Championship game. Those starters include 2012-13 Pepsi Max MAAC Player of the Year Damika Martinez, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year and second team selection Joy Adams, seniors Sabrina Jeridore and Haley D’Angelo, and junior Aleesha Powell. Martinez led the league in scoring with 598 points (over 100 points more than the runnerup) and in 3-point field goals made with 79. Adams led the league in rebounding, averaging 10.7 per contest and filed goal percentage with a .495 average. Jeridore led the league in blocked shots (102) and blocks per game (3.1). D’Angelo led the league in assist to turnover ratio and ranked in the top five in assists, while Powell ranked in the top ten in steals. Sophomore Aaliyah Robinson will also look to make an impact coming off the bench returning as one of the Gaels top scorers. First year head coach Billi Godsey will look to lead Iona to its first ever MAAC title in school history.
Quinnipiac comes to the MAAC off of the best season in program history. The Bobcats finished last season with a school and Northeast Conference record of 30-3, including a NEC title and NCAA berth. 2012-13 NEC Coach of the Year Tricia Frabbi enters her 19th season at the helm of the Bobcats and is Quinnipiac’s all-time leader in victories with 273. She will look to four returning starters, seniors Brittany McQuain and Camryn Warner, and juniors Jasmine Martin and Gillian Abshire, for veteran leadership.
The Fairfield Stags return four starters from last year’s squad that finished 3rd in the regular season but had an early exit in the MAAC Quarterfinals. Head coach Joe Frager enters his seventh season with All-MAAC Second Team selections Katie Cizynski and Brittany Obi-Tabot leading the way along with the team’s top 3-point threat Alexys Vazquez and assist leader Felicia DaCruz.
Rider rounds out the top five coming off of its best finish since the 1994-1995 season with 15 wins. The Broncs and coach Lynn Milligan return top player and All-MAAC First Team selection MyNeshia McKenzie and the team’s top 3-point shooter, Emily Fazzini.
2013-2014 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll
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1.
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Marist
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121
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2.
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Iona
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106
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3.
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Quinnipiac
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102
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4.
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Fairfield
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86
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5.
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Rider
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69
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6.
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Canisius
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54
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7.
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Siena
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51
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8.
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Niagara
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47
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9.
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Monmouth
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43
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10.
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Manhattan
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34
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11.
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Saint Peter's
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13
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