FOREST, Va. --- Four teams earned at least one first place vote in the annual ODAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll conducted by the league's head coaches. Guilford College stands atop the field, receiving nine top nods on the way to 116 total points. Reigning conference champion Lynchburg College sits second with 107 tallies including one first place vote, while Washington and Lee University and Emory & Henry College are separated by just six points at 98 and 92, respectively. They split the remaining two first place considerations.

Women's Basketball Virtual Guide

The 2015-16 campaign was a banner season for Lynchburg basketball with both its men's and women's squads lifting ODAC trophies. For the women, it was the program's first championship since the conference began competition in 1982-83. The 62-55 triumph over Guilford also avenged the Hornets loss to Virginia Wesleyan College in the 2014-15 title game.

Lynchburg continued its season of firsts with a trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament along with at-large selection Guilford. LC traveled to Maryville College (Tenn.) for early round action. The Hornets squared off with Birmingham-Southern College in its first round matchup, falling to the Panthers, 56-50. The Quakers made their way to Thomas More College (Ky.) to begin their two-game stay in the national field. GC topped the University of Mount Union (Ohio), 61-57, in a physical contest before falling to host and eventual national champion, Thomas More, 92-40 in the second round.

When you look at the talent returning to rosters across the league in 2016-17, there is both a mixture of top-tier quality and opportunity for new players to shine.  The quality is represented by 10-of-18 All-ODAC standouts back on campuses, but only two of those earned All-ODAC First Team recognition a season ago, bringing about opportunity for new players to take the next step forward.  That's the path Roanoke College forward Cary Beahm and Guilford wing Anais Weatherly have followed, both moving up to the 2015-16 first team from previous second team selections.

Guilford, under the guidance of reigning ODAC Coach of the Year Stephanie Flamini, is one of three squads with a pair of all-conference returners. Weatherly is joined by guard Lauren Ramsey, while Emory & Henry features a pair of second team performers in point guard Megan Jacoby and forward Taylor Blevins, who doubled as last season's ODAC Rookie of the Year. Washington and Lee welcomes back second team combo guard Jackie Clifford and third team forward Ailyn Kelly. Virginia Wesleyan scorer Jayla Harris was a second team choice last season, while shooter Jessica Lam from Bridgewater College and guard Sarah Coronel from Lynchburg picked up third team laurels.

Listed below is the full 2016-17 ODAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll.  For more information on ODAC men's basketball, visit any of the participating school's websites, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com and view the women's basketball virtual media guide.  The virtual media guide and this release will be updated with interviews featuring the ODAC's head coaches.

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2016-17 ODAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes