Sports News: Fall 2009

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

MORAVIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SQUAD PICKED SECOND IN LANDMARK CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL

MADISON, N.J. --- The 2009-10 Moravian College women’s basketball team has been selected to finish second in the Landmark Conference season in a preseason poll selected by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.

The University of Scranton, the two-time defending champions, was selected first in the poll with 77 points while the Greyhounds had 68 points.  Susquehanna University and Juniata College are third and fourth with 59 and 50 points respectively while The Catholic University of America holds down the fifth spot with 46 points.  The United States Merchant Marine Academy is sixth with 24 points while Drew University is seventh with 23 points.  Goucher College rounds out the poll with 17 points.

The 2009-10 Moravian college women’s basketball team expects to continue its postseason run this year as the program heads into its third year in the Landmark Conference, especially after eight straight trips to the conference playoffs, trips to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament in 2006 and 2009, and an ECAC Division III Southern Championship in 2007.

Head coach Mary Beth Spirk, who begins her 23rd year with the Greyhounds, led Moravian to an overall record of 21-7 last winter and returns 14 letterwinners and five starters this season. Spirk and her coaching staff were named the inaugural Landmark Conference Coaching Staff of the Year in 2007-08.

The Greyhounds will begin the regular season against long time rival Elizabethtown College on Sunday, November 15th with a 2:00 p.m. tip-off in Johnston Hall. Moravian will then travel to Dickinson College in Carlisle for tournament.  The Greyhounds will play three teams in the preseason top 25 before Christmas with games against Scranton, The College of New Jersey and rival Muhlenberg College.

2009-10 Landmark Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll

Rank
School
Points
1.
The University of Scranton
77
2.
Moravian College
68
3.
Susquehanna University
59
4.
Juniata College
50
5.
The Catholic University of America 
46
6.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy 
24
7.
Drew University
23
8.
Goucher College
17