BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The Northeast Conference announced its women's basketball preseason poll on Wednesday morning at the eighth annual NEC Social Media Day at the Barclay's Center. The Long Island University women's basketball team was selected to finish eighth overall by the league's coaches.
Robert Morris, the defending league champions were the unanimous choice among the league's coaches to win the NEC with 10 first place votes. Saint Francis U was tabbed second while Mount St. Mary's and Sacred Heart were tied to round out the top-three.
Bryant and St. Francis Brooklyn were picked fifth and Wagner was tabbed seventh. LIU was selected eighth followed by Fairleigh Dickinson, Central Connecticut and league newcomer, Merrimack to round out the poll.
Sophomore
Brandy Thomas was selected as a member of the Preseason All-NEC Team, after earning ECAC & NEC Rookie of the Year, third team All-NEC and All-Rookie team honors last year. Thomas had a stellar campaign in her first season in downtown Brooklyn. She was one of only two players on the NEC circuit to average a double-double in 2018-19. Thomas accounted for a team-high 13.9 points, a mark that led all NEC Rookies. Her 10.4 rebounds per game were second in the conference. Her 15 double-double performances were the most among Division I freshmen last season. The six-time NEC Rookie of the Week set the conference's single-game season high for points on February 11 against Mount St. Mary's. She made a single-game program record 16 field goals on the way to a 36-point effort.
Along with Thomas, the Sharks return nine letter winners and three starters from last season, including third team All-NEC honoree
Jeydah Johnson. Junior transfers
Mia Perkins,
Paulani Tarawa and
Zhané Williams are three newcomers to the squad.
The Sharks open the 2019-20 campaign Tuesday, November 5 with a 7:00 p.m. contest against Saint Peter's.
2019-20 NEC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Robert Morris (10 - unanimous)
2. Saint Francis U
3 (tie). Mount St. Mary's
Sacred Heart
5 (tie). Bryant
St. Francis Brooklyn
7. Wagner
8. LIU
9. Fairleigh Dickinson
10. Central Connecticut
11. Merrimack
2019-20 Preseason All-NEC Women's Basketball Team
Nneka Ezeigbo, Robert Morris, Sr, C, 6-2, Ewing, NJ/Notre Dame
Adrianne Hagood, SHU, Jr, G, 5-8, Washington, D.C./Elizabeth Seton
Sydney Holloway, Bryant, Sr, G/F, 5-10, Morgantown, WV/Morgantown
Jade Johnson, St. Francis Brooklyn, Sr, G, 5-9, Adelaide, Australia/Immanuel College
Brandy Thomas, LIU, So, G, 5-10, Baldwin, NY/Christ the King
