NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Duquesne has been selected as the 2018-19 Atlantic 10 Conference women’s basketball preseason favorite in the league’s annual women’s basketball preseason poll. The conference announced the poll results and the Preseason All-Conference awards Tuesday.

The Dukes garnered 12 first-place votes for a total of 194 points. Led by seniors Chassidy Omogrosso and Julijana Vojinovic, who were both named to the Preseason All-Conference First Team, Duquesne finished 25-8 overall last year and 13-3 in the A-10. Omogrosso and Vojinovic are joined on the preseason squad by senior teammates Kadri-Ann Lass, who was named to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team, and Conor Richardson, who was named to the Preseason All-Defensive Team. The Dukes reached the postseason for the 10thconsecutive season last year advancing to the third round of the WNIT.

Dayton is second in the 2018-19 poll with two first-place votes and 183 points. The Flyers are led by junior Jayla Scaife, a preseason first-team and all-defensive honoree, and senior Lauren Cannatelli, who was named the preseason second team. Dayton, last year’s regular season champion, received an at-large bid to the 2018 NCAA Tournament.

Finishing tied for third in this year’s poll were Fordham and George Washington with 159 points. The Rams were 24-10 overall, 12-4 in the A-10 last season and are led by redshirt sophomore Bre Cavanaugh, who was named to the preseason first team. GW, the defending A-10 champions and winners of three of the last four A-10 titles, aim to be back in the mix for the league title this season and are led by senior Mei-Lyn Bautista.

Saint Joseph’s, which reached the A-10 title game last season, garnered 112 points to rank fifth, followed by VCU which had 108 points for sixth-place and Saint Louis was seventh with 104 points. George Mason (108 points), Massachusetts (90 points), and Richmond (87 points) finished eighth, ninth and 10thin the poll. Davidson, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island and La Salle rounded out the preseason rankings, respectively.

George Mason’s Nicole Cardaño-Hillary joined Scaife, Omogrosso, Vojinovic and Cavanaugh on the Preseason All-Conference First Team. Davidson’s Justine Lyon and Massachusetts’ Hailey Leidel were selected to the Preseason Second Team All-Conference, along with Cannatelli, Lass and Bautista.

Rhode Island’s Nicole Jorgensen, Richmond’s Alex Parson, Saint Joseph’s’ Alyssa Monaghan, Saint Louis’ Jordyn Frantz and VCU’s Tera Reed were named to the Preseason All-Conference Third Team. Saint Louis’ Kerri McMahan joined Scaife, Lass, Richardson, Cardaño-Hillary and Bautista on the Preseason All-Defensive Team.

The 2018-19 women’s basketball season tips off on Tuesday, Nov. 6., with conference play beginning on Saturday, Jan. 5. The 2019 Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship will be hosted by Duquesne University on March 8-10, 2019, with the first round being held Tuesday, March 5 on the campuses of higher seeds. Tickets for the championship are available for purchase by visiting goduquesne.com/2019A10championship or calling 412-232-3853.

PRESEASON POLL

1. Duquesne (12) - 194

2. Dayton (2) - 183

3. Fordham - 159

George Washington - 159

5. Saint Joseph's - 112

6. VCU - 108

7. Saint Louis - 104

8. George Mason - 102

9. Massachusetts - 90

10. Richmond - 87

11. Davidson - 72

12. St. Bonaventure - 46

13. Rhode Island - 31

14. La Salle - 23

Number in parenthesis indicates number of first-place votes

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

Jayla Scaife, Dayton

Chasidy Omogrosso, Duquesne

Julijana Vojinovic, Duquesne

Bre Cavanaugh, Fordham

Nicole Cardaño-Hillary, George Mason

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM



Justine Lyon, Davidson

Lauren Cannatelli, Dayton

Kadri-Ann Lass, Duquesne

Mei-Lyn Bautista, George Washington

Hailey Leidel, Massachusetts

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM

Nicole Jorgensen, Rhode Island

Alex Parson, Richmond

Alyssa Monaghan, Saint Joseph's

Jordyn Frantz, Saint Louis

Tera Reed, VCU

PRESEASON ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM



Jayla Scaife, Dayton

Kadri-Ann Lass, Duquesne

Conor Richardson, Duquesne

Nicole Cardaño-Hillary, George Mason

Mei-Lyn Bautista, George Washington

Kerri McMahan, Saint Louis