MEDIA DAY: Dayton Picked To Repeat As Conference Champion

Dayton Predicted to Repeat as A-10 Women’s Basketball Champions

Nineteen Student-Athletes Named to Preseason All-Conference Teams

RICHMOND, Va. – Dayton has been selected to repeat as Atlantic 10 Conference women’s basketball champions in the league’s annual women’s basketball preseason poll. The conference announced the poll results and the Preseason All-Conference awards Monday in conjunction with its annual Media Day, held at the Richmond Marriott.

The Flyers garnered eight first-place votes for a total of 182 points. Led by senior Jenna Burdette, a member of the preseason first team all-conference team and the 2017 A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player, the Flyers finished 22-10 overall last year and 13-3 in the A-10. She is joined on the preseason squad by teammate redshirt senior Alex Harris, who was named to the preseason all-defensive team. The Flyers represented the A-10 in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Tennessee in the first round.

Saint Louis is second in the 2017-18 poll with three first-place votes and 174 points. Led by two-time A-10 Player of the Year and preseason first team all-conference selection senior Jackie Kemph, the Billikens reached the postseason for the second consecutive season last year. The Billikens advanced to second round of the WNIT.

With two preseason all-conference selections, seniors Chelsea Woods and Adashia Franklyn, Saint Joseph’s was selected to finish third in the poll with three first-place votes and 170 points. 

Duquesne, which has reached the A-10 title game in each of the last two seasons, garnered 160 points to rank fourth, followed by Fordham which had 150 points for fifth place. George Washington was sixth with 116 points, La Salle was seventh with 114 points, George Mason (79 points), Richmond (78 points) and Massachusetts (73 points) finished eighth, ninth and 10^th in the poll. VCU, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island and Davidson rounded out the preseason rankings, respectively.

Fordham’s G’mrice Davis and La Salle’s Amy Griffin join Burdette, Woods and Kemph on the Preseason All-Conference First Team. Davidson’s Justine Lyon, Massachusetts’ Hailey Leidel, Rhode Island’s Charise Wilson and St. Bonaventure’s Mariah Ruff were selected to the Preseason Second Team All-Conference, along with Franklyn.

Duquesne’s Chassidy Omogrosso, Julijana Vojinovic, George Mason’s Natalie Butler, Massachusetts’ Maggie Mulligan and Saint Louis Jordyn Frantz were named to the Preseason All-Conference Third Team. Duquesne’s Conor Richardson and George Washington’s Brianna Cummings joined Harris, Davis and Franklyn on the Preseason All-Defensive Team.

The 2017-18 women’s basketball season tips off on Friday, Nov. 10. with conference play beginning on Sunday, Dec. 31. The 2018 Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship will begin with six first-round games being played on campus sites, Feb. 27, before heading to Richmond, March 2-4 for the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship final.