Oct. 21, 2015

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - After an early exit from the 2015 Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament, Army West Point will look to make run for the title as the Black Knights are once again favored in the preseason poll -- voted by the coaches and sports information directors who were not allowed to rank their own teams. Army West Point received 13 first-place votes and totaled 155 points to come in ahead of second-place Holy Cross. The Crusaders tallied 130 points and two first-place votes, edging out Lehigh who earned 127 points and three first-place votes. Bucknell and American each received a first-place vote and totaled 119 and 111 points, respectively, followed by Navy (83), Colgate (55), Loyola Maryland (47), Lafayette (43), and Boston University (30).

Army West Point senior guard Kelsey Minato, whose long list of accolades includes All-America Honorable Mention and three-time first-team All-Patriot League honors, will look to add a third Player of the Year award to her list after being tabbed as the Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches and SIDs. Minato was also unanimously selected to the Preseason All-Patriot League team as was Holy Cross senior forward Raquel Scott. The two veterans are joined by Lehigh junior forward Lexi Martins, Bucknell junior forward Claire DeBoer, and Loyola Maryland senior guard Colleen Marshall.

Women's Basketball Preseason All-League
Kelsey Minato, Army West Point
Raquel Scott, Holy Cross
Lexi Martins, Lehigh
Claire DeBoer, Bucknell
Colleen Marshall, Loyola Maryland

Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Kelsey Minato, Army West Point

Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Army West Point, 155 points (13 first-place votes)
Holy Cross, 130 points (2)
Lehigh, 127 points (3)
Bucknell, 119 points (1)
American, 111 points (1)
Navy, 83 points
Colgate, 55 points
Loyola Maryland, 47 points
Lafayette, 43 points
Boston University, 30 points

Army West Point (23-8, 14-4 PL), seeded as the number two team in last year's Patriot League tournament, was knocked out of the tournament in the semifinals when No. 6 seed Lehigh defeated the Black Knights, 76-57, at Christl Arena. Army West Point will look to return to the championship game with the help of Minato, who led the League last year in scoring (22.3 ppg - ranked eighth in the nation) and three-point field goals made (84). A second year captain, Minato will be joined by classmates guard/forward Brianna Johnson, forward Aimee Oertner, and guard/forward Jean Parker to lead the Black Knights as this year's team captains.

Holy Cross (15-17, 11-7 PL) Scott, a unanimous first-team All-League selection last year, is back for her senior season after averaging 16.7 points and 9.8 rebounds as a junior. The Crusaders will be captained by Scott and Kate Gillespie and return four starters and 10 letterwinners, including senior center Molly Hourigan (2015 League leader with 2.3 bpg), senior guard Lisa Mifsud (2015 third team All-League selection), and sophomore guard Katie Doherty (started all 31 games as a freshman and was named to All-League Rookie team).

Lehigh (19-12, 9-9 PL) made a run to the 2015 Patriot League championship game as a No. 6 seed with wins over No. 3 Holy Cross and No. 2 Army West Point but came up short to No. 1 seed American, 66-50. Three time All-Patriot League forward Kerry Kinek became just the sixth member of Lehigh's 1,000 point/500-rebound club and enters the season with 1,215 career points and 715 rebounds. Also returning is Martins, last year's leading scorer (14.0 ppg) and rebounder (11.1) for Lehigh along with All-Rookie team member Quinci Mann.

Bucknell (18-12, 10-8 PL) received a first-place vote and edged out last year's Patriot League champion American to finish fourth in the preseason poll. Head coach Aaron Roussell will have to lead a team without forward Audrey Dotson (1,285 career points) but will return DeBoer (11.3 ppg), who was also second-team All-League as a sophomore, and last year's Patriot League Rookie of the Year guard Jacquie Klotz (8.5 ppg). Bucknell will have four starters back from a team that recorded a program best record since the 2006-07 season when they went 20-11.

American (24-9, 16-2 PL) made history when the Eagles defeated Lehigh, 66-50, to earn their first Patriot League title and first NCAA tournament berth in program history. American also set a program record for most wins in a single season (24), due in large part to 2015 Patriot League Player of the Year Jen Dumiak. Losing Dumiak to graduation, the Eagles will have a big pair of shoes to fill and landed fifth in the preseason poll. However, third team All-League selection senior forward Michelle Holmes (6.7 rpg) returns as does classmate Ari Booth, who led the team with 3-point field goal percentage of .435.

Navy (17-14, 10-8 PL) exited the Patriot League tournament in the semifinals with a 60-53 loss to eventual champion American and looks to pick up right where it left off with the upcoming season. The Mids lose guard Chloe Stapleton but will see guard Sarita Condie (8.0 ppg) and All-Rookie team member guard Taylor Dunham (8.8 ppg) return for what head coach Stefanie Pemper hopes to be her eighth-straight winning season.  

Colgate (9-22, 7-11 PL) is excited to get back out onto the court as the Raiders prepare for the season, which includes a non-League schedule highlighted by a home contest with three-time defending national champion Connecticut. Last year, the Raiders closed out the regular season with three-straight victories and added a fourth win in the first round over Boston University before falling in an overtime heartbreaker to Army West Point. Colgate will miss second team All-League honoree Carole Harris but return Josie Stockill (10.3 ppg) and Randyll Butler (.436 field goal percentage).

Loyola Maryland (7-23, 5-13 PL) is a program that looks to continue moving forward in the League as it begins its third season in the Patriot League. Marshall, a second team All-League selection last year, returns after a junior campaign that saw her average 13.4 points per game and a League leading 2.6 steals per contest. Along with Marshall, All-Rookie team performer Bri Betz-White (8.6 points per game) is back as is senior forward Jeneh Perry, who led the League with 3.4 offensive rebounds per game.

Lafayette (14-17, 6-12 PL) begins the season with a new coach at the helm, as Theresa Grentz was named the sixth women's basketball head coach in program history. Grentz, who accumulated 671 wins during her 33-year head coaching career with stops at Rutgers and Illinois, will look to build upon a program that loses first-team All-League selection forward Emily Homan but returns senior guard Jamie O'Hare who averaged two 3-point field goals a game.

Boston University (5-25, 2-16 PL) second-year head coach Katy Steding begins preparations for the season as the Terriers return all but one player from last year and will rely on leadership from seniors Troi Melton and Clodagh Scannell. In addition, junior guard Sarah Hope looks to return in full health after leading the team with 41 three pointers despite an early season-ending injury.

The women's basketball season begins on Nov. 13, when nine of the 10 Patriot League teams will be in action. After five weeks of non-League contests, Colgate and Lafayette will open the Patriot League slate on Dec. 22. The Patriot League Tournament will be held on the campus of the higher seeded team in each game with the first round on March 5 followed by the quarterfinal matchups on March 7. The highest remaining seed will then host the semifinal and championship games of the tournament on March 11 and 12.