UAlbany Women’s Basketball Predicted to Finish First in America East

America East Video Preview – #1 UAlbany

America East Release – 2013-14 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The two-time defending conference champion Great Danes have been picked to finish first in the America East this season, the league announced on Wednesday.

UAlbany received eight out of nine first-place votes, earning a maximum 64 possible points.  This is the second consecutive year that the Great Danes were picked to finish first in the preseason poll; last year, UAlbany got five first place votes and got 61 points.

Two-time America East Coach of the Year Katie Abrahamson-Henderson starts her fourth year with the Great Danes, returning a pair of preseason all-conference players to the floor.  Megan Craig and Shereesha Richards, a 2012-13 Third Team All-America East and the 2012-13 conference Co-Rookie of the Year respectively, were named preseason all-conference on Tuesday.

In addition, starting point guard Sarah Royals is back for her third season running the Great Dane offense.  In addition, four of the team’s reserves and six freshmen join the ranks for the 2013-14 season.

Hartford got 54 points and is predicted to finish second.  In third is Stony Brook with 48 points, with New Hampshire getting fourth with 46, earning the final first-place vote.  The rest of the poll: Vermont at 30 points, Maine at 27 points, UMBC at 24 points, Binghamton 23 points and UMass Lowell at eight points.