The New York University women's basketball team is ranked second in the
University Athletic Association (UAA) preseason coaches' poll, released on Tuesday, November 11. The Violets received one first-place vote. Washington University tops the rankings with seven first-place votes, while the University of Chicago shares the second position with NYU.
The Violets are returning all five starters from the last year's 20-6 squad (9-5 UAA) which reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008-09.
The Violets are led by 2013-14 First Team All-UAA honorees
Kaitlyn Read and
Megan Dawe. Sophomore guard Read, the 2013-14
D3Hoops East Region Rookie of the Year, led the Violets in points (360) and 3FG% (45.8 - all-time single-season NYU record and first in the UAA) and was second with 13.8 ppg and 151 rebounds last season. Dawe, a junior forward and team co-captain, led the Violets with 6.7 rpg and 14.6 ppg, finishing fourth in the UAA in scoring and FG% (54.6).
Another team co-captain, the starting senior point guard
Melissa Peng, has never missed a game in her collegiate career, seeing action in all 76 contests, including 51 starts. She led the team with 4.4 apg (fourth in the UAA) and 31.5 mpg (third in the UAA) last season. Team co-captain
Maya Wasowicz, a junior swing player, junior guard
Riley Wurtz and sophomore forward
Lindsey Oldshue round out the starting five.
A pair of key reserve sophomore guards,
Amy Harioka and
Jessie Fifield also return, as well as the team co-captain, senior guard
Lexi Bove-Domenech.Sophomore center
Emily Rowe steps into the top reserve forward role after averaging 3.6 ppg and 2.9 rpg last season. Five freshmen also join the squad: guards
Drew Cabral,
Cassidy Fontana and
Kayli O'Keefe, and forwards
Mikaela Pyatt and
Chloe Van Bourgondien.
The Violets open their season at the NYU Tip-Off Tournament this Saturday, November 15. In the first game, NYU will face Western Connecticut State University at 1 pm.
A live broadcast of the game can be foundhereand live stats will be postedhere.
