West Chester Women Open Season as No. 1 in PSAC East Preseason Coaches’ Poll
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – West Chester enters the upcoming 2014-2015 season as the favorite in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division preseason coaches' poll, which were released Thursday afternoon. The Golden Rams finished with an overall record of 19-9, including a 13-3 record in conference play last season. West Chester fell in the postseason conference tournament, losing to No. 25 Edinboro in the PSAC semifinals. Edinboro went on to win the PSAC championship, defeating Gannon, 86-76, in the finals. First-year head coach Kiera Wooden replaces Deirdre Kane, who stepped down after 27 seasons at the helm for the Golden Rams. Wooden inherits a veteran squad led by a pair of juniors, who were named to the preseason all-conference squad. Dallas Ely (Montrose, Pa. / Montrose) returns after leading the PSAC in scoring, 19.4 points per game and was selected to the preseason all-conference squad. In addition, her efforts from last season landed her a Division II honorable mention All-America by the WBCA, while also being named to the first team 2013-14 Daktronics, Inc., NCAA Division II Women's Basketball All-Atlantic Region squad. Brittany Sicinski (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown West) also received a preseason-all conference nod after being named to the All-PSAC East team last season while averaging 14.8 points per game. Right behind West Chester in the preseason rankings was Bloomsburg, who received five first-place votes. Bloomsburg claimed the top seed in the PSAC last season, losing in the semifinals with a final record of 26-5. Following Bloomsburg in the Eastern poll were Shippensburg, Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield and Cheyney. The PSAC Western Division preseason coaches' poll was led by returning champion Edinboro, who led the way with seven first-place votes. Two returners selected to the preseason all-conference squad for the defending champions were Valerie Majewski and Aignee Freeland. Following Edinboro was runner-up, Gannon who gathered two-first place votes. The Western standings after Edinboro are California, IUP, Pitt---Johnstown, Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock, Seton Hill, and Clarion all in sequence. West Chester takes on Division I defending national champion UConn Huskies on Sunday in an exhibition game. Tipoff against WCU alum, Geno Auriemma's squad is set for 1 p.m. inside Gampel Pavilion. The Golden Rams officially open up the 2014-15 season with the Carol Eckman Memorial Tournament held at Hollinger Field House as they face off against Concordia College (N.Y.) on Friday, Nov. 14th at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Division Poll 1. West Chester (4) 2. Bloomsburg (5) 3. Shippensburg 4. Millersville 5. East Stroudsburg 6. Kutztown 7. Lock Haven 8. Mansfield 9. Cheyney Preseason All-PSAC East Dallas Ely, West Chester Jessica Martin, East Stroudsburg Jocelyn Ford, Bloomsburg Stephanie Knauer, Shippensburg Carly Gallagher, Millersville Brittany Sicinski, West Chester
Western Division Poll 1. Edinboro (7) 2. Gannon (2) 3. California, Pa. 4. Indiana, Pa. 5. Pitt-Johnstown 6. Mercyhurst 7. Slippery Rock 8. Seton Hill 9. Clarion
Preseason All-PSAC West D'Asia Chambers, Slippery Rock Nettie Blake, Gannon Aignee Freeland, Edinboro Valerie Majewski, Edinboro Hannah Heeter, Clarion Lindsay Stamp, IUP
