Quinnipiac University and Iona College Ranked in CollegeInsider.com Preseason Poll
MAAC Sports
Edison, NJ – Quinnipiac University and Iona College were both ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Preseason Mid-Major top 25 poll. The Bobcats open the season in the No. 13 spot and the Gaels sit No. 18 overall.
Quinnipiac was selected as the 2016-17 Preseason favorite in the MAAC after receiving seven out of 11 first-place votes for a total of 117 points. The Bobcats are coming off a 2015-16 season MAAC regular season championship. They went 17-3 in conference play and finished with an overall record of 25-9.
The Bobcats earned an automatic bid into the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the fourth time in program history. Quinnipiac defeated Maine, 90-44 in the first round of the WNIT. The win marked their first-ever national postseason tournament victory. The Bobcats return reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year, sophomore guard/forward Aryn McClure. McClure was selected to the 2016-17 Preseason All-MAAC First Team.
Iona placed second in the Preseason poll and received four first-place votes. Last season the Gaels went 16-4 in conference play and 23-12 overall. Iona went on a postseason run and earned their first-ever MAAC Championship victory and received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Gaels return senior guard Marina Lizarazu, who was voted as the unanimous MAAC Preseason Player of the Year and was unanimously selected to the 2016-17 Preseason All-MAAC First Team. Also returning for Iona is the reigning Co-Sixth Player of the Year, sophomore guard Alexis Lewis. Lewis was selected to the 2016-17 All-MAAC Preseason Second Team.
CollegeInsider.com Preseason Women’s Mid-Major Top 25 Poll:
| 1. |
South Dakota State (26) |
0-0 |
742 |
- |
Summit |
| 2. |
Green Bay (2) |
0-0 |
716 |
- |
Horizon |
| 3. |
James Madison |
0-0 |
600 |
- |
Colonial |
| 4. |
Chattanooga |
0-0 |
581 |
- |
Southern |
| 5. |
Gonzaga (2) |
0-0 |
567 |
- |
West Coast |
| 6. |
BYU |
0-0 |
551 |
- |
West Coast |
| 7. |
Florida Gulf Coast |
0-0 |
531 |
- |
Atlantic Sun |
| 8. |
Pennsylvania |
0-0 |
473 |
- |
Ivy League |
| 9. |
Albany |
0-0 |
470 |
- |
America East |
| 10. |
Princeton (1) |
0-0 |
457 |
- |
Ivy League |
| 11. |
Ohio |
0-0 |
442 |
- |
Mid-American |
| 12. |
Saint Mary's |
0-0 |
403 |
- |
West Coast |
| 13. |
Quinnipiac |
0-0 |
394 |
- |
Metro Atlantic |
| 14. |
Drake |
0-0 |
370 |
- |
Missouri Valley |
| 15. |
New Mexico State |
0-0 |
311 |
- |
Western Athletic |
| 16. |
Long Beach State |
0-0 |
241 |
- |
Big West |
| 17. |
Troy |
0-0 |
166 |
- |
Sun Belt |
| 18. |
Iona |
0-0 |
142 |
- |
Metro Atlantic |
| 19. |
Northern Iowa |
0-0 |
132 |
- |
Missouri Valley |
| 20. |
Bucknell |
0-0 |
119 |
- |
Patriot |
| 21. |
Central Michigan |
0-0 |
114 |
- |
Mid-American |
| 22. |
Jacksonville |
0-0 |
108 |
- |
Atlantic Sun |
| 23. |
Mercer |
0-0 |
105 |
- |
Southern |
| 24. |
San Diego |
0-0 |
99 |
- |
West Coast |
| 25. |
Drexel |
0-0 |
95 |
- |
Colonial |