Centennial Conference Preseason Poll
HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's basketball team has been predicted to finish third in the Centennial Conference preseason poll, the Centennial Conference office announced on Thursday afternoon. The Fords received 147 voting points, which forced a third-place tie with McDaniel. The Green Terror also received 147 voting points including one first place vote. The head coaches from each school joined sports information directors and as part of the voting panel. Coaches and SIDs were not allowed to vote for their own institutions.
Muhlenberg was picked to repeat as conference champions for the third-straight season, receiving 198 voting points and 19 of the 21 first place tallies. Gettysburg was picked second with 169 votes and one first place vote. McDaniel also received one first-place tally. Dickinson rounded out the top five with 143 overall voting points.
Sixth place belonged to Johns Hopkins with 121 points (one first place vote) while Ursinus (7th), Franklin & Marshall (8th), Swarthmore (9th), Washington College (10th) and Bryn Mawr (11th) rounded out the poll.
The Fords will open up the regular season at Montclair State, a team receiving votes in the WBCA Preseason Top 25, on Tuesday, November 15. Haverford then heads to the DeSales Tip-Off Tournament in Center Valley, Pa. The home opener will also be the first conference test against Ursinus on Tuesday, November 22 before the Fords break for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Last season, Haverford finished with 15 wins and reached the Centennial Conference tournament for a record fifth consecutive season. Returning co-captains Sierra Berkel and Samantha Wetzel were named to All-Centennial Conference awards while third co-captain Clio Bodie was named to the All-Sportsmanship team.
An experienced squad, Haverford will return four of its five starters and its entire bench as the team rostered only one graduating senior in Olivia Walsh. The team's leading scorer, Berkel (11.1 ppg), and third-leading scorer, Wetzel (9.5 ppg), will look to head the offense in their junior years as co-captains.