Women's Basketball Ranked No. 4 in DIII News Preseason Top-25 Poll
St. Louis, Mo., October 12, 2011 — The 2011 national runner-up Washington University in St. Louis women’s basketball team debuted at No. 4 in the DIII News 2011-12 Preseason Top-25 Poll, it was announced by the publication.
Washington University head coach Nancy Fahey returns two starters and 14 letterwinners from last year’s team that posted a 25-6 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Division III national championship game for the third-straight season and the ninth time in school history. The Bears fell to Amherst College, 64-55, in the national title tilt in Bloomington, Ill.
Defending national champion Amherst College was tabbed as the top-ranked team in the preseason poll. Defending University Athletic Association (UAA) champion University of Chicago is second, William Paterson University is third and 2009 national champion George Fox University came in fifth to round out to the top-five.
Fellow UAA member University of Rochester checked in a No. 11 to make it three UAA programs ranked in the top-25.
Senior guard Dani Hoover and junior forward Kristin Anda return to the starting lineup for the 2011-12 campaign. Hoover and Anda each earned honorable mention All-UAA honors a year ago. Hoover finished the season averaging 6.6 points per game and ranked second on the team in three-pointers made (27) and rebounds per game (4.7).
Anda started the final four games of the Bears’ NCAA Tournament run and ranked third on the team in scoring (7.6 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg). She scored in double figures 11 times including twice in the postseason. Anda shot 41.6 percent from the floor and blocked 21 shots.
The Bears also welcome back junior forward Annie Sayers and sophomore forward Jordan Rettig, who averaged 6.5 ppg and 6.7 ppg respectively. Senior Claire Schaeperkoetter saw action in 30 games last season, drilling 27 three-pointers.
Senior point guard Bethany Morrison played in all 31 games last season, making nine starts. She finished the year with 52 assists and an assist/turnover ratio of 1.3. Senior Brianne Monahan averaged 10 minutes a game and saw time in 27 contests. She scored 12 points in the Bears’ 63-58 win over the University of Chicago in the NCAA Sectional Championship and put up 12 points again in the national championship game.
Washington University opens its 2011-12 season on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Mo., at 7 p.m.
DIII News Preseason Top-25
1. Amherst
2. Chicago
3. William Paterson
4. Washington U.
5. George Fox
6. Greensboro
7. Babson
8. Calvin
9. Kean
10. Wisconsin-Stevens Point
11. Rochester
12. Lebanon Valley
13. Hope
14. Colby
15. Denison
16. Mary Washington
17. Bowdoin
18. DePauw
19. Illinois Wesleyan
20. Mt. St. Mary
21. Juniata
22. Ithaca
23. DeSales
24. Johns Hopkins
25. Mount Union
BOLD Denotes 2011-12 opponent.