UAlbany WBB Unanimous #1 Pick in AE Preseason Poll, Richards Named to Preseason All-Conference Team

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The three-time defending America East champion UAlbany women's basketball team has been unanimously predicted to finish first in the conference in the 2014-15 season in the preseason coaches poll, released on Wednesday.

In addition, reigning America East Player of the Year Shereesha Richards has been placed on the 2014-15 Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team.

UAlbany received eight out of nine first-place votes to earn 64 points, the highest possible total for the poll.  It is the third-straight year that UAlbany has been predicted to finish first and the second-consecutive season the Great Danes were a unanimous selection.

The Great Danes are led by Richards, who finished the 2013-14 season shooting 62.4% from the floor with a league-best 20 points and 8.9 rebounds a game.  She earned 13 double-doubles during the year and set a UAlbany record with 25-consecutive double digit scoring games from November 8^th through February 11^th.

The team also returns the top two leaders in assists in the conference last year.  Sarah Royals, the all-time assists leader in UAlbany DI history, led the America East with 159 assists, averaging 4.8 assists and 12.9 points a game.  Margarita Rosario earned 130 assists to average 3.9 per year, averaging 6.5 points a game and earning an 81% free throw percentage, the third-highest mark in the league.

2014 America East runner-up Stony Brook was predicted to finish second with 51 points.  Tying for third in the poll are the other two America East Tournament semifinalists from last season: New Hampshire, which received the final first-place vote, and Hartford each received 46 points.  Maine was 5^th at 43 points, while the rest of the poll is filled out by UMBC (24), UMass Lowell (21) in a tie with Vermont (21) and Binghamton (8).

Joining Richards on the Preseason All-Conference Team is Corinne Coia of New Hampshire, Sabre Proctor of Stony Brook, Shannon Samuels of UMass Lowell and Liz Wood of Maine.

2014-15 America East Women's Basketball Preseason Poll