FOREST, Va. --- Since 2003, Randolph-Macon College has not gone more than three seasons without hoisting a conference women's basketball trophy, securing nine of its overall 10 championships along the way. The Yellow Jackets are favored to capture another title entering the new season as they top the 2022-23 ODAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll.

Randolph-Macon secured seven first place votes to power its haul of 136 points to lead the 13-team annual coach's survey. Randolph College ranks second -- its highest ranking in an ODAC women's basketball poll ever -- with 127 markers including a pair of top nods. Washington and Lee University collected three first place votes on the way to 116 tallies, and Roanoke College garnered the remaining #1 billing on the way to 112 points in fourth position.

In the sections below, we look back to what we saw during the 2021-22 campaign and take a look at what to expect entering the new season.

2021-22 ODAC TOURNAMENT | BRACKET

• The ODAC Women's Basketball Tournament returned to the Salem Civic Center following on-campus first round play after seeing the full slate of tournament contests competed on campus in 2020-21.
• Fourth-seeded Shenandoah and second-seeded Randolph-Macon met for the ODAC title on Championship Sunday.
• The Hornets put themselves in position with a 63-57 victory over #5 Randolph in the quarterfinals and a 67-59 upset of top-seeded Washington and Lee in the semifinals.
• The Yellow Jackets earned a 64-46 triumph over #7 Bridgewater in the quarterfinals and again scored a double-figure win over #6 Lynchburg, 67-51, in the semifinals.
• In the title game, Randolph-Macon took a 19-18 lead into the intermission following the opening two periods of play. The third quarter proved decisive as Shenandoah won that frame, 25-13, to spot itself with a 43-32 lead entering the final period; the Hornets completed their win of the second half with a 13-11 advantage in the final quarter on the way to a 56-43 victory.
• Shenandoah has claimed two ODAC titles behind head coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft, pairing last year's trophy with a crown it donned in 2019.
• SU point guard Sierra St. Cyr was tabbed the MOP of the tournament; she averaged 13.3 points powered by 12-of-14 from the line over the three games in Salem; she averaged 7.7 rebounds and registered 10 assists, seven steals, and two blocked shots.

2022 NCAA TOURNAMENT | BRACKET

• Shenandoah, owner of the ODAC's automatic entry into the NCAA Tournament after winning the conference championship, was joined in the national field of 64 teams by Washington and Lee as an at-large selection.
• SU went to Transylvania University for early round play and met region-foe Southern Virginia in the first round; the Knights posted a 67-48 victory over the Hornets.
• W&L headed north to New York University for a showdown with the host Violets in the first round; NYU scored a 71-61 triumph over the Generals

THE NATIONAL SCENE ENTERING 2022-23

• The D3hoops.com Top-25 Preseason Poll will be released later this week (section to be updated as appropriate).
• The WBCA Division III Top-25 Coaches Poll is tentatively slated for a November 1 release.

WELCOME TO THE ODAC!

• Averett University became the 15th full-time member of the ODAC on July 1 and opens its first season of ODAC women's basketball in 2022-23; the Cougars previously played out of the USA South Athletic Conference.
• Head coach Desireé Driver features a squad that went 6-19 overall and 6-12 to finish seventh of 10 teams in the USA South East Division standings last year.
• The Cougars earned one East Division title during its tenure in the USA South, hoisting that trophy in 2018-19.
• This year's team does not feature a returning All-USA South selection. AU has three of its five starters back in Danville in Jihnez Hutchinson, Talia Prosper, and Natija Pate.

RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS
The athletes listed below represent the top-three returning statistical leaders for each category from the 2021-22 season.

• Points/Game | 19.7 - Lindsay Gauldin, GC; 15.5 - Kayla Cabiness, FC; 13.0 - Kylie Stark, RAND
• Points | 433 - Lindsay Gauldin, GC; 373 - Kayla Cabiness, FC; 314 - Hanna Malik, W&L
• FG Pct. | 47.4% - Erika Nettles, BC; 46.9% - Catherine Kagey, RMC; 45.6% - Morgan Micallef, RC
• FG Made | 144-of-331 - Lindsay Gauldin, GC; 123-of-262 - Catherine Cagey, RMC; 119-of-267 - Jaden Alsberry, BC
• 3FG Pct. | 41.4% - Ashtyn Zeigler, GC; 40.8% - Juliana Park, RMC; 37.3% - Hanna Malik, W&L
• 3FG Made | 75-of-201 - Hanna Malik, W&L; 55-of-170 - Kayla Cabiness, FC; 51-of-125 - Juliana Park, RMC
• FT Pct. | 77.1% - Kayla Cabiness, FC; 76.1% - Rosemary Pierson, BC; 73.8% - Kylie Stark, RAND
• FT Made | 133-of-184 - Lindsay Gauldin, GC; 84-of-109 - Kayla Cabiness, FC; 78-of-112 - Adaje Williams, VWU
• Rebounds/Game | 9.7 - Jaden Alsberry, BC; 8.7 - Bri Redfearn, EMU; 8.5 - Catherine Kagey, RMC
• Rebounds | 242 - Jaden Alsberry, BC; 222 - Catherine Kagey, RMC; 203 - Adaje Williams, VWU
• Assists/Game | 3.8 - Yanessa Cabrera, RAND; 3.5 - Cheridan Hatfield, RMC; 3.1 - Lindsay Gauldin, GC
• Assists | 91 - Cheridan Hatfield, RMC; 88 - Yanessa Cabrera, RAND; 69 - Lindsay Gauldin, GC/Catherine Kagey, RMC
• Steals/Game | 2.9 - Lindsay Gauldin, GC; 2.5 - Kylie Stark, RAND; 2.3 - Mya Hamlet, EMU
• Steals | 64 - Linsay Gauldin, GC; 54 - Mya Hamlet, EMU/Kylie Stark, RAND
• Blocked Shots/Game | 2.0 - Jaden Alsberry, BC; 1.3 - Cabria Mutz, HU; 1.1 - Rebekah Funderburk, HU
• Blocked Shots | 50 - Jaden Alsberry, BC; 27 - Cabria Mutz, HU; 25 - Terese Greene, SU/Adaje Williams, VWU

RETURNING ALL-ODAC TALENT | 2021-22 ALL-ODAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS
The All-ODAC Teams in 2022-23 will be largely different come February with just seven of the 18 all-conference honorees back on league rosters. Three from last season's All-ODAC First Team are joined by one member of the All-ODAC Second Team and a trio from the All-ODAC Third Team on 2022-23 squad forms. Two special award winners will be back on the floor. Washington and Lee University head coach Christine Clancy earned ODAC Coach of the Year laurels and Randolph College guard Teniyah Crenshaw Patterson garnered ODAC Rookie of the Year recognition, the second straight year a WildCat earn such distinction (Kylie Stark).

• All-ODAC First Team
  • Lindsay Gauldin, G, Guilford
  • Kylie Stark, G, Randolph
  • Catherine Kagey, F, Randolph-Macon
• All-ODAC Second Team
  • Teniyah Crenshaw-Patterson, G, Randolph (ODAC Rookie of the Year)
• All-ODAC Third Team
  • Jaden Alsberry, F, Bridgewater
  • Erika Nettles, F, Bridgewater
  • Hanna Malik, G, Washington and Lee

ROAMING THE SIDELINES
Coaching has always been a strong feature since the ODAC began sponsoring women's basketball for the 1982-83 season. While the guard has changed over the past several years, elite coaching remains a standard in the conference. One familiar face returns to the conference fold in 2022-23 with former long-time Guilford head coach Stephanie Flamini taking the reins at Bridgewater College following a year away from the sidelines. In 21 seasons, she has won the most games of any active coach in the league with 342 wins at a .617 winning percentage. She won five ODAC titles during her time with the Quakers.

Randolph-Macon head coach Lindsey Burke has just 30 games under her belt in over two seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but her first two squads have won 23 of those outings for an ODAC-best .767 winning percentage entering the season.

Several coaches could reach landmark win totals in 2022-23. Flamini is eight wins shy of 350 for her career. Ferrum's Bryan Harvey needs 10 wins to reach 275 guiding the Panthers program. Randolph mentor Steve Lanpher could reach 200 wins in his 15th campaign, while Roanoke's Carla Flaherty would reach 150 victories with a 19-win schedule. Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft, coach of reigning ODAC champion Shenandoah, is nine wins shy of 100 in eight-plus seasons. Washington and Lee's Christine Clancy is 14 victories away from 175.

In addition to the return of Flamini to the league at Bridgewater, two new coaches will pace ODAC arena sidelines. Second-year mentor Desireé Driver guides Averett University as the ODAC's newest full-time member begins play in women's basketball. Virginia Wesleyan welcomes Quntashea Lewis to the home bench in the Batten Center following three years as the head coach at Salem College (N.C.).

Below are the win-loss records for each coach entering the 2022-23 season.

• Desireé Driver (AU) -- Overall: 6-19 (.240) in 1 season | at AU: 6-19 (.240) in 1 season
• Stephanie Flamini (BC) -- Overall: 342-212 (.617) in 21 seasons | at BC: First Season
  • 2x ODAC Coach of the Year: 2016, 19
• Jenny Posey (EMU) -- Overall: 32-124 (.205) in 7 seasons | at EMU: 20-59 (.253) in 4 seasons
• Bryan Harvey (FC) -- Overall: 265-181 (.594) in 17 seasons | at FC: 265-181 (.594) in 17 seasons
• Sarah Mathews (GC) -- Overall: 83-84 (.497) in 9 seasons | at GC: 7-17 (.292) in 1 season
• Emilee Dunton (HU) -- Overall: 28-44 (.389) in 3 seasons | at HU: 28-44 (.389) in 3 seasons
• Allison Nichols (LYN) -- Overall: 53-128 (.293) in 7 seasons | at LYN: 16-11 (.593) in 1 seasons
• Steve Lanpher (RAND) -- Overall: 185-195 (.487) in 14 seasons | at RAND: 25-32 (.439) in 3 seasons
• Lindsey Burke (R-MC) -- Overall: 23-7 (.767) in 2 seasons | at R-MC: 23-7 (.767) in 2 seasons
• Carla Flaherty (RC) -- Overall: 131-169 (.437) in 12 seasons | 104-95 (.523) in 8 seasons
• Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft (SU) -- Overall: 91-110 (.453) in 8 seasons | at SU: 91-110 (.453) in 8 seasons
• Quntashea Lewis (VWU) -- Overall: 4-43 (.085) in 2 seasons | at VWU: First Season
• Christine Clancy (W&L) -- Overall: 161-112 (.590) in 11 seasons | at W&L: 139-106 (.567) in 10 seasons
  • 1x ODAC Coach of the Year: 2022

THE 2022-23 SCHEDULE AND TOURNAMENT

• Division III women's basketball kicks off for all schools on November 8; five ODAC schools will be in action on that first Tuesday of the sport calendar.
• ODAC teams will play as many as seven non-conference games in addition to 18 ODAC contests (25 total regular season games permitted).
• ODAC teams will play each league team once and six twice with nine home and nine away outings.
• The top-10 teams by ODAC record in the league standings will qualify for the ODAC Tournament.
• The first round of the ODAC Tournament is slated for Monday, February 20 at the #7 and #8 seeds.
• The two winners will join Seeds 1-6 at the Salem Civic Center for the conference's traditional tournament framework that features four quarterfinal games on Thursday, February 23, both semifinal contests on Saturday, February 25, and the championship on Sunday, February 26.
• The NCAA Tournament will be announced the following Monday on www.ncaa.com. 

For more information on ODAC women's basketball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.