R-MC Second, Three Points Separate Next Four Squads
SALEM, Va. --- Roanoke College picked up 10
first place votes and 120 total poll points to earn the top billing
in the 2009-10 ODAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll.
Randolph-Macon College garnered the remaining first place vote and
109 tallies to hold down the second slot.
The next four positions were separated by just three points with
Eastern Mennonite University sitting third with 82 points.
Bridgewater College and Virginia Wesleyan College tied for fourth
with 81 points apiece, and Washington and Lee University stands
sixth with 79 points. Guilford College (53 pts.) was tabbed
seventh followed by followed by Emory & Henry College (44 pts.)
and Lynchburg College (40 pts.) in eighth and ninth place.
Randolph College (24 pts.) is slotted 10th with Hollins
University (13 pts.) rounding out the 11-team coaches survey.
Roanoke (23-4, 17-3 ODAC in 2008-09) is not short on talent with
both a strong stable of returning players and several key new
faces. The Maroons' perimeter features a pair of
all-conference performers in seniors Caitlyn Long and Jaleesa
Osborne. Long, an All-ODAC First Team choice in 2008-09, led
the Maroons in scoring at 12.0 points per game, and finished in the
top-10 in the league in three point shooting (.369 - 55 made 3FG)
and free throw percentage (.764). Osborne, a second team
selection last season, was third in the league in steals (2.59 spg)
and fourth in assists (3.93 apg). Down in the post, Jordan
Gholson returns after leading the league in blocks at 2.48 per
game. She also averaged 11.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per
outing. Amongst the new crew of players are a pair of NCAA Division
I transfers in center Nicci Moats, from the University of Tennessee
and James Madison University, and guard Kendra Porter from Radford
University. Also making the move to Roanoke is former
Lynchburg second team choice, Kylie Lucas. Lucas averaged
12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest as a Hornet in
2008-09.
Randolph-Macon (23-6, 17-3) won the program's sixth overall
championship and fifth title since 2003 last season, and will
challenge to repeat again come February. Two-time ODAC Player
of the Year, Molly Ariail, returns to Ashland focused on winning
her third ODAC crown. Ariail, tabbed the NCAA Division III
Preseason Player of the Year by DIII News, led the ODAC in
scoring at 17.7 points per game, and finished second in rebounding
with 7.7 boards per contest. She also boasted a .501 field
goal percentage and averaged 1.45 blocks per game. Several
strong holdovers remain including perimeter duo Maggie Roy (8.6
ppg, .402 3FG%) and Jillian Asay (4.6 ppg) as well as forwards
Renee Stein (5.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and Katie Williams (5.8 ppg).
Eastern Mennonite (13-13, 8-12) welcomes back all five starters
from a season ago. All-ODAC Second Team choices, guard
Brittany Snyder and center Danielle Scott, lead a unit that also
features Ebony Dennis. Snyder finished sixth in the league in
scoring at 13.7 points per game. She was also the ODAC's top
shooter from deep, connecting on 41.4-percent (60-of-145) of her
three-pointers. Scott tied for seventh in the league in
scoring at 13.6 points per outing, while also averaging six boards
per game. Dennis recorded 8.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per
game, and is joined by fellow returning starters Miranda Wolfe (7.8
ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Melissa Lewis (7.2 ppg, 4.5 apg) to form a strong
team core.
Posted below is the entire 2009-10 ODAC Women's Basketball
Preseason Poll. For more information on ODAC women's
basketball, visit any of the participating schools' websites or the
ODAC's NEW home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.
2009-10 ODAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
(#) Denotes first place votes
1. Roanoke (10) |
120 pts. |
2. Randolph-Macon (1) |
109 pts. |
3. Eastern Mennonite |
82 pts. |
4. Bridgewater |
81 pts. |
4. Virginia Wesleyan |
81 pts. |
6. Washington and Lee |
79 pts. |
7. Guilford |
53 pts. |
8. Emory & Henry |
44 pts. |
9. Lynchburg |
40 pts. |
10. Randolph |
24 pts. |
11. Hollins |
13 pts. |