Gannon, Millersville Garner Top Slots on Women’s Basketball Preseason Polls

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PSAC Preseason Information Packet

Lock Haven, Pa.  – Millersville and Gannon have been picked to win their respective divisions according to a PSAC women’s basketball preseason poll conducted among league coaches.
 
Millersville clinched the top spot in the Eastern Division for the first time since 2011, while Gannon is ranked first in the Western Division poll for the first time since joining the league in 2008.
 
Gannon is supported by six first-place votes and is led by preseason All-PSAC selections Jen Papich, Brittany Batts and Nettie Blake. Papich is the returning PSAC West Athlete of the Year, while Batts and Blake were both 2012-13 Western Division Second Team selections. 
 
Edinboro is ranked second on the Western Division poll with a single first-place nod, while California and IUP are tied for third with one first-place vote apiece. Kate Seebohm represents the Vulcans as a preseason All-PSAC selection, as Lindsay Stamp represents IUP with preseason All-PSAC honors as well.
 
PSAC newcomer Seton Hill was slated fifth on the poll, while No. 6 Clarion boasts the final preseason All-PSAC selection in junior Hannah Heeter, the only PSAC athlete to average a double-double a year ago with 14.4ppg and 13.3rpg. Both Heeter and Papich are the only returning 2012-13 All-PSAC First Team selections in either division.
 
Rounding out the Western Division is No. 7 Mercyhurst followed by Pitt-Johnstown in eighth and No. 9 Slippery Rock.
 
In the Eastern Division, Millersville was given two first-place votes, with Bloomsburg coming in second on the poll with three first-place nods. Bloomsburg’s Catherine Noack was selected as a preseason All-PSAC honoree.
 
Shippensburg ranks third with two first-place nods and landed two on the preseason All-PSAC list. Shippensburg’s selections are 2012-13 PSAC Eastern Division Freshman of the Year Stephanie Knauer and 2012-13 All-PSAC Eastern Division Second Team selection Sarah Strybuc.
 
West Chester is ranked fourth, with preseason All-PSAC representation from Brittany Sicinski. No. 5 Kutztown earned the final two first-place nods, with Natalya Lee earning preseason All-PSAC honors. The final preseason All-PSAC award went to No. 6 East Stroudsburg’s Jessica Martin.
 
The final three slots in the Eastern Division went to No. 7 Lock Haven, No. 8 Mansfield, and No. 9 Cheyney.
 
The results of the coaches' polls and the preseason All-PSAC selections are listed below. First-place votes are in parenthesis.

EASTERN DIVISION 

Preseason Poll
1. Millersville (2)
2. Bloomsburg (3)
3. Shippensburg (2)
4. West Chester
5. Kutztown (2)
6. East Stroudsburg
7. Lock Haven
8. Mansfield
9. Cheyney

Preseason All-PSAC East Team
Stephanie Knauer Shippensburg Hatfield/North Penn
Natalya Lee Kutztown Feastersville/Rancocas Valley
Brittany Sicinski West Chester Downingtown/Downingtown
Jessica Martin East Stroudsburg Brownstown/Conestoga Valley
Catherine Noack Bloomsburg Bethlehem/ Liberty
Sarah Strybuc Shippensburg Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan
 
 
WESTERN DIVISION 

Preseason Poll
1. Gannon (6)
2. Edinboro (1)
3. California (1)
3. IUP (1)
5. Seton Hill
6. Clarion
7. Mercyhurst
8. Pitt-Johnstown
9. Slippery Rock

Preseason All-PSAC West Team
Hannah Heeter Clarion Seneca/Cranberry
Jen Papich Gannon Pittsburgh/Fox Chapel
Brittany Batts Gannon Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County
Nettie Blake Gannon Jersey City, N.J./Marist
Kate Seebohm California Millicent, Australia/Millicent
Lindsay Stamp IUP Erie/Mercyhurst Prep