By Kyle Soppe
We have recently added A-10 Women’s basketball to the list of NCAA conferences in which we deliver constant updates from team sources. For those unfamiliar with the Women’s side of college basketball, here is a taste of what to expect this upcoming season in the 14 team Atlantic 10.
Dayton and Temple were voted preseason Co-Champions of the conference, both receiving seven first place votes. Both teams will count on experience as Dayton returns four starters, and Temple welcomes back three. Justine Raterman, a preseason all conference first teamer, is the focal point of Dayton’s attack, as the senior led the conference in scoring last year (16.1 points per game) and collected 7.3 rebounds per contest. Of Temples three returning starters, two (Kristen McCarthy and Shey Peddy) were voted onto the preseason first team all conference roster. Temple is also home to the regioning A-10 coach of the year in Tonya Cardoza, who has compiled an impressive 70-28 record in her first four seasons with the Owls.
Duquense, Charlotte, Saint Joseph’s, and St. Bonaventure are picked to finish 3-6 this season. Charlotte is paced by a preseason first team all A-10 member in Epiphany Woodsen, a senior guard who averaged 12.1 points last season. The Bonnies also boast a preseason first team all A-10 selection in 6’1″ forward Megan Van Tatenhove. The last two A-10 regular seasons have been won by Xavier (29-3, 14-0), but with only one returning starter the Musketeers are picked to finish seventh this season. Xavier joined Temple and Dayton as A-10 representatives in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Following Xavier are the Richmond Spiders, concluding a list of eight teams who all won at least 18 games a season ago. George Washington, Massachusetts, La Salle, Fordham, Rhode Island, and Saint Louis round out the projected 2011-2012 standings.
Curious about a specific team, and their outlook for the 2011-2012 season? Each team had their Head Coach interviewed courtesy of the A-10 to satisfy such desires.
Ten teams begin their season one week from Friday with non conference play. The season will conclude with the Atlantic 10 Championship, which places the top 12 finishers into a bracket, with the victor earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The bid will be determined on March 5th, and we will be providing live coverage from Philadelphia.
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