Oct. 24, 2006
New York, N.Y. - The Loyola College women's basketball team was selected seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference pre-season coaches poll as announced by the conference office Tuesday. Senior captain Brittany Dunn was named as a pre-season second-team All-MAAC selection.
"Our team gained valuable experience last season, finishing 20-10 and going to the conference tournament and we hope to carry that experience to this season," second year head coach Joe Logan said. "Our non-conference schedule is highlighted by Maryland coming to our gym on December 21. We hope a tough non-conference schedule will put us in the position to finish strong in the MAAC."
The Greyhounds fashioned one of the most successful seasons in women's basketball history last season, finishing with 20-5 record (just the fourth Loyola team to earn 20 wins in a season) and 13-5 in MAAC play for a third place finish. Logan and the Greyhounds topped Manhattan and Canisius in the second and semi-final rounds of the conference tournament to earn the chance to face Marist in the championships.
Loyola returns eight players from the 2005-06 squad including three starters. Dunn and classmates Jill Glessner, Vanessa Ruffin and Ebony Toliver are the returning seniors. The remaining returners include juniors Tynisha Davis and Meghan Wood and sophomores Ashley Alexander and Siobhan Prior. Newcomers to the 2006-07 squad are junior transfer Vika Sholokhova and freshmen Devon Carey, Erica DiClemente and Kaitlin Grant.
Dunn earned a spot in the second-team all-conference pre-season squad. Last season she finished the season averaging 9.9 points, 5.9 assists, 4.6 steals and three rebounds a game. Dunn finished the season strong, scoring 49 points in the MAAC Tournament including a career-high of 21 points in the championships game versus Marist. Her performance earned her a spot on the conference all-tournament team.
MAAC Pre-Season Coaches Poll
1. Iona (5)
2. Marist (3)
3. Canisius (1)
4. Siena
5. Fairfield (1)
6. Manhattan
7. Loyola
8. Niagara
9. Saint Peter's
10. Rider
MAAC Pre-Season All-Conference Team
First-Team
Megan Lyte, Canisius
Sabra Wrice, Fairfield
Martina Weber, Iona
Meg Dahlman, Marist
Laura Menty, Siena
Second-Team
Amanda Cavo, Canisius
Tiara Headen, Iona
Brittany Dunn, Loyola
Joann Nwafili, Manhattan
Shaunna Ambrose, Niagara
Third-Team
Jessie Lamparski, Canisius
Baendu Loewnthal, Fairfield
Toni Horvath, Iona
Alisa Kresge, Marist
Katelyn Dooley, Siena
MAAC Pre-Season Player of the Year: Martina Weber, Iona
