Men's and Women's Hoops Picked First in UAA Coaches Poll

St. Louis, Mo., November 2, 2009 – The Washington University in St. Louis men’s and women’s basketball teams enter the season as the favorites for the third-straight season to win the University Athletic Association (UAA) championship, based on preseason polling of Association coaches.

Both the men’s and the women’s team captured UAA titles a year ago, and enter the season as the preseason No. 1 ranked team in Division III by D3hoops.com and DIII News. The men’s team has won a conference-best nine titles, while the women’s team has captured 18 of the 22 league titles.

Washington University claimed seven first-place votes in the men’s poll. The Bears return four starters and 15 letterwinners from a team that finished 29-2 overall and first in the UAA with a 13-1 record. Washington U. captured its second-straight NCAA Division III National Championship with a 61-52 victory over Richard Stockton College on March 21, in Salem, Va.

Brandeis University came in second in the men’s poll, earning the other first-place vote. The Judges were 18-9 last season, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The University of Rochester came in third place, following a 16-9 record a year ago, and New York University, who was 17-11 last year, rounded out the top-four.

The University of Chicago was the coaches pick to place fifth and Case Western Reserve University landed in sixth place. Following an NCAA Tournament berth in 2009, Carnegie Mellon University finished seventh in the UAA preseason poll, and Emory University came in eighth.

The women’s team also earned seven first-place votes. The Bears posted a 26-5 overall record in 2008-09, and advanced to the national championship game where they fell to George Fox University, 60-53. The Bears return four starters and 14 letterwinners from last year’s squad, which won the conference title with a 13-1 record.

The University of Chicago was picked to finish second in the women’s poll, picking up the other first-place vote. The Maroons return four starters to a team that was 8-6 in the UAA last year and 17-8 overall. Brandeis University came in third place, following an NCAA quarterfinal appearance in 2009 and New York University was voted fourth by the coaches.

The University of Rochester finished second in the UAA last season with an 11-3 conference record, but it was picked to come in fifth in the 2009-10 preseason poll. Emory University and Case Western Reserve University tied for sixth place and Carnegie Mellon University came in eighth.

Both teams take the court for its home opener on Sunday, Nov. 15, at the WU Field House. The women’s teams plays Augustana College (Ill.) at 1 p.m., while the men’s team takes on MacMurray College at 3 p.m.