Thomas More, Saint Vincent picks in PAC basketball
The women’s dynasty is expected to continue in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
Thomas More received nine of 10 first-place votes and 99 points Thursday to become the favorite in the PAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Saints are looking for a 10th consecutive conference title.
Saint Vincent was picked second, totaling 89 points and securing the final first-place vote. Washington & Jefferson was selected third with 80 points and Waynesburg was fourth (69). Bethany (57) was fifth, followed by Grove City (56), Westminster (32), Thiel (30), Chatham (24), and Geneva (14).
Thomas More, the defending NCAA Division III national champions, had a 33-0 record last year en route to the college’s first team national championship. The Saints enter the 2015-16 season No. 1 in the USA Today Sports Division III Top 25 poll, the D3hoops.com preseason Top 25 and the Women’s DIII News Preseason Top 25.
Thomas More senior guard/forward Sydney Moss and sophomore guard Abby Owings each earned national preseason accolades heading into the 2015-16 season. Moss was recognized by Women’s DIII News as the preseason National Player of the Year and was named a preseason First Team All-America selection by D3hoops.com.
Moss concluded a stellar junior campaign by being named the Division III National Player of the Year for the second straight season by WBCA, D3hoops.com, and Women’s DIII News. Owings was named a preseason All-America honorable mention by D3hoops.com and Women’s DIII News.
Saint Vincent College received all 10 first-place votes in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, released Thursday.
Saint Vincent, led by 13th-year head coach D.P. Harris, finished last season with a 22-7 overall and 14-2 in the PAC. The Bearcats have made three-straight appearances in the NCAA Division III Championships.
Thomas More finished second in the voting with 78 points, followed by Thiel College, which received 67 points. Geneva was fourth with 63 points, followed by Bethany (62), Waynesburg (59), Westminster (46), Grove City (35), Washington & Jefferson (21), and Chatham (19), which is sponsoring men’s basketball for the first time this season.