New York, N.Y. (November 8, 2005)--In a vote by the conference's head coaches, Manhattan Women's Basketball was selected to finish seventh out of ten teams for the 2005-06 season. In addition, sophomore guard
Joann Nwafili earned a spot on the Pre-season All-MAAC Third Team, which was also announced at the annual MAAC Basketball Media Day at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on Monday afternoon.
Manhattan sits ahead of Saint Peter's College, Iona College, and Rider University in the pre-season poll. Canisius College, who edged out MAAC Regular Season Champion Marist College in last year's MAAC Tournament Finals, earned the top spot on the list receiving nine first-place votes. Marist, who received one first-place vote, was tabbed to finish second.
Nwafili, who is one of eight returnees, is part of a five-member sophomore class that was especially productive for the head coach Myndi Hill last season. Although Nwafili was the only one of the quintet to be a Pre-season All-MAAC selection, the MAAC recognized four of the five players for their performance at some point last year. Sophomore
Aubrie Dellinger joined Nwafili on the 2004-05 MAAC All-Rookie Team, and sophomores
Caitlin Flood and
Gabrielle Cottrell earned MAAC Rookie of the Week honors for different weeks during their freshman campaign.
After an exhibition game on November 10 at Draddy against the NY Gazelles, the Lady Jaspers officially open up the 2005-06 season when they welcome Big East foe Syracuse University to Riverdale on November 18 with tip-off slated for 7:00 p.m.
Pre-season Coaches Poll1. Canisius (9) - 99
2. Marist (1) - 91
3. Siena - 74
4. Fairfield - 61
5. Loyola - 54
6. Niagara - 48
7. Manhattan - 438. Saint Peter's - 38
9. Iona - 30
10. Rider - 12
