Women's Basketball Picked First in 2010 UAA Preseason Coaches' Poll

St. Louis, Mo., November 10, 2010 – The No. 5 ranked and defending NCAA Division III champion Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team was picked to repeat as University Athletic Association (UAA) Champions based on a preseason polling of Association coaches.

Washington University returns two starters and 14 letterwinners from last year’s team that posted a 29-2 overall mark and a 13-1 record in the UAA, en route to the program’s NCAA Division III record fifth national championship.

The Bears return senior guard Alex Hoover (8.9 ppg, 3.8 apg) and senior forward Kathryn Berger (8.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg), both of whom garnered All-UAA accolades last season.

Washington U. received five of the seven first-place votes in the 2010 preseason coaches’ poll for 47 points, with second place University of Rochester receiving the other two first-place nods to total 42 points.

The University of Chicago, who joined Washington University and Rochester as an NCAA qualifier last season, was picked to finish third with a tally of 38 points, and Brandeis University tallied 30 points to finish fourth.

New York University (22 points), Carnegie Mellon University (19 points), Case Western Reserve University (15 points) and Emory University (11 points) rounded out the eight-team league.

Washington University opens regular season play on Monday, Nov. 15, at home against Fontbonne University. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Washington University Field House in St. Louis, Mo.