Women's Basketball Chosen Eighth in Preseason Poll

WINTHROP, Mass. – Emmanuel College received eight first-place votes and 140 points overall to finish first in the 2015-16 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced on Thursday morning.

Johnson & Wales University, which captured its first-ever GNAC women's hoop title last season over Emmanuel, 74-66, finished second to the Saints with 135 points and four first-place nods by the coaches. For the Wildcats, their 19 wins last season set a single-season program record.

Emmanuel, which won seven straight GNAC Championships from 2007-13, will look to add to its unbeaten streak in GNAC regular-season play, as the Saints have won an astounding 63 straight league games dating back to the 2009-10 season.

Emmanuel senior Sarah Higgins (pictured) is back after averaging 14.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals in just 26.9 minutes per game a year ago.

For Johnson & Wales, junior Bobbie Whitehead and sophomore Raquel Pederzani will look to lead the way for the Wildcats. Whitehead averaged a double-double as a sophomore with 11.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, while Pederzani averaged 13.2 points and 3.4 assists as a rookie.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine finished third in the preseason poll with 113 points, while Suffolk University took the fourth spot with 104 points and Norwich rounded out the top-five list with 95 points.

Making up the rest of the coaches' poll was Rivier University with 75 points, Albertus Magnus College with 74 points, Lasell College with 53 points, Anna Maria College with 49 points, the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) with 45 points, Mount Ida College with 29 points and Simmons College with 24 points.

The regular season kicks off this weekend, with the league schedule gets underway on Tuesday, December 8, with the eight-team GNAC Tournament slated to begin with quarterfinal action on Tuesday, February 23.

Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 12 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 17 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement. 

2015-16 GNAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Emmanuel (8) - 140
2. Johnson & Wales (4) - 135
3. Saint Joseph's Maine - 113
4. Suffolk - 104
5. Norwich - 95
6. Rivier - 75
7. Albertus Magnus - 74
8. Lasell - 53
9. Anna Maria - 49
10. Saint Joseph Conn. - 45
11. Mount Ida - 29
12. Simmons - 24 

Courtesy of the GNAC Communications