Women’s Basketball places fifth in Horizon League Preseason Poll

Womens+basketball+was+ranked+fifth+in+the+Horizon+Leagues+preseason+poll+following+an+NEC+regular-season+championship+in+2019-20.+Photo+Credit%3A+Thomas+Ognibene

Women’s basketball was ranked fifth in the Horizon League’s preseason poll following an NEC regular-season championship in 2019-20. Photo Credit: Thomas Ognibene

Nathan Breisinger

With the recent move into the Horizon League, the Robert Morris women’s basketball team has already received some good recognition in their first season as they were placed fifth out of twelve teams in the conference’s preseason poll.

Horizon League head coaches allotted 88 points to the Colonials in the preseason poll, finishing behind Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), who received 12 first-place votes, Green Bay (120), Wright State (118), and Northern Kentucky (105).

IUPUI is expected to finish atop of the Horizon League standings following the program’s first-ever regular-season and tournament championship. The Jaguars defeated Green Bay in the conference championship game following a 15-3 regular-season conference record.

The Jaguars’ own Macee Williams has been selected as the Preseason Player of the Year in the conference. She is following back-to-back Preseason Player of the Year selections as she finished last season scoring a Horizon League-leading 17.5 points-per-game during the 2019-20 campaign.

As the Colonials look to compete in their new conference, they return four starters for the 2020-21 season. Guards Isabella Posset, Esther Castedo, and Nina Augustin, along with forward Holly Forbes all started at least 15 games last season and will be key pieces during this team’s transition into the Horizon League.

The Colonials look to carry over last year’s shortened season success as they posted a 17-1 record in the Northeast Conference. Their 2020 regular-season title was the team’s fourth consecutive regular-season championship and eighth in program history.