Nov. 3, 2009
Center Valley, Pa.— Lehigh was selected first in the 2009-10 Patriot League Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll with 97 points and 13 first-place votes. American and Holy Cross each accumulated 76 total points to finish tied for second in the poll. American garnered the remaining three first-place votes. Rounding out this year’s selections were, in order, Navy (54), Bucknell (52), Army (50), Colgate (22) and Lafayette (21). All eight women’s basketball head coaches and eight sports information directors voted in the poll and could not vote for their own team or players.
In other preseason poll voting, a five-member All-Patriot League Team and Preseason Player of the Year were selected. Lehigh junior Erica Prosser was tabbed the 2009-10 Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year and was a member of the preseason All-Patriot League Team. Prosser was the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2008-09 and a First-Team All-Patriot League selection. Also on this year’s preseason All-Patriot League squad are American junior Michelle Kirk, Army junior Erin Anthony, Holy Cross senior Briana McFadden and Lehigh senior Alex Ross.
Prosser led Lehigh to its second Patriot League championship a year ago. She averaged 15.9 points per game during Patriot League play to lead all scorers. Prosser also averaged 4.4 assists per contest and made a League-best 92.3 percent of her free throws. Prosser became just the second player from Lehigh to be named receive the honor, joining Jessica DePalo, who won in 2005.
Kirk was named a First-Team All-Patriot League selection after helping guide the Eagles to a second-place finish in Patriot League competition. She averaged 15.4 points per game in Patriot League contests to rank second in the League. Anthony, a Second-Team All-Patriot League selection, was named Patriot League Player of the Week on three separate occasions last season. She has averaged 14.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game during Patriot League play. She ranked in the top three in the Patriot League in field goal percentage and blocked shots.
McFadden, the 2008 Patriot League Player of the Year, was First-Team All-Patriot League selection for the second consecutive season. As a junior, McFadden scored 15.3 points per contest for the season, leading all Patriot League players. Ross was tabbed the 2009 Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player. She led all Patriot League players with 93 three-pointers, including a school-record nine against Binghamton.
Lehigh will attempt to become the first team to repeat as Patriot League champion since Holy Cross won four straight championships between 1998 and 2001. The Mountain Hawks will have both Prosser and Ross back in the fold after accounting for 41-percent of Lehigh’s scoring last season. Also back for the Mountain Hawks are returning starters Tricia Smith and Alexa Williams. Smith, a senior, averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season. Williams was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team after averaging 4.9 points and 4.3 rebounds.
American will be chasing its first Patriot League title. The Eagles have finished in the top half of the regular-season standings each of the past three seasons. The Eagles also advanced to the WNIT the past two seasons. In addition to the return of Kirk, the Eagles will have the aid of senior guard Nicole Ryan, who averaged 11.3 points per game.
Holy Cross has won a League-high 11 championships under veteran head coach Bill Gibbons, the most recent coming in 2007. The Crusaders have never gone more than two years without a title. Holy Cross will rely on the outside scoring of McFadden and fellow senior Bethany O’Dell, a three-time All-Patriot League selection.
2009 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Angela Myers will help lead a resurgent Navy squad, which improved by eight wins under first-year head coach Stefanie Pemper. The Mids also welcome the return of junior center Cassie Consedine, who led the team in scoring and rebounding for the second straight year.
Despite having just one senior, Bucknell will have eight returning letter-winners on its roster. The Bison defense limited its foes to 36-percent shooting from the field last season.
Army will once again lean on its defense. The Black Knights held their opponents to 53.2 points per game last season, the fourth-lowest average in the nation.
Colgate head coach Pam Bass will welcome back six different players who started at some point last season, including leading scorer Tayler Wejnert, who played 20 games and averaged 11.7 points.
Lafayette will attempt to build off its late-season run from a year ago. The seventh-seeded Leopards advanced to the Patriot League championship before falling to rival Lehigh. LaKeisha Wright returns after leading the team with 11.1 points per game as a sophomore.
2009-10 Patriot League Preseason Poll, Points
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1. Lehigh 97 (13)
2. American 76 (3)
Holy Cross 76
4. Navy 54
5. Bucknell 52
6. Army 50
7. Colgate 22
8. Lafayette 21
2009-10 Patriot League Preseason All-League Team
Michelle Kirk, American (Jr., G/F)
Erin Anthony, Army (Jr., F)
Briana McFadden, Holy Cross (Sr., G)
Erica Prosser, Lehigh (Jr., G)
Alex Ross, Lehigh (Sr., G)
Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year
Erica Prosser, Lehigh (Jr., G)
