Women’s basketball gets No. 1 slot in preseason poll

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata College women's basketball team clinching its first Landmark Conference Championship last season is still fresh in the minds of all the Landmark Conference head women's basketball coaches and sports information directors, as Juniata was voted to finish first in the 2011-12 season according to the results of a Landmark preseason poll released Thursday.

Juniata finished the 2010-11 season with an impressive 22-7 overall record and 12-2 in the Landmark. In the poll, the Eagles were picked to either finish first or second on every ballot and earned 92 points, 17 points ahead of second place Catholic University of America (19-10, 9-5 Landmark) who grossed 75.

Only three points separate Catholic and The University of Scranton (19-7, 12-2 Landmark), who placed third on the poll with 72 points. Moravian College (14-13, 9-5 Landmark) got the fourth slot with 62 points, followed by Susquehanna University (12-13, 7-7 Landmark) that was accredited with 45 points. Drew University (11-14, 4-10 Landmark) was awarded with 36 points landing it sixth place.

Goucher College (3-20, 3-11 Landmark) and the United States Merchant Marine Academy (7-18, 0-14 Landmark) round out the poll earning 24 and 15 points respectively. 

Despite losing the conference's tri-Player of the year, the Eagles return two All-Conference players in senior Ashton Bankos and last season's Landmark Rookie of the Year, Kate McDonald.  

Not only does Juniata return seven to the court, who made up 69 percent of last season's rebounding, but the Eagles also return 65 percent of the 2010-11 offense, including three of the top four scorers from the previous season.

Juniata opens their 2011-12 season at Penn State Harrisburg on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 6:00 p.m.

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