ANNVILLE, Pa. (Women’s Basketball) – The DeSales Bulldogs were selected as the favorite in the 2019-20 conference preseason poll conducted among the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) women’s basketball coaches. The Bulldogs collected six of the eight first-place votes for a total of 48 points.
Misericordia received 42 points and one first-place vote to be positioned second. Stevens collected the final first-place vote for 35 points to rank third. King’s (32 points) and Eastern (23 points) rounded out the top-five.
The rest of the poll in respective order includes FDU-Florham (18 points), Delaware Valley (15 points) and Wilkes (11 points).
A season ago, DeSales finished the regular-season with a 14-0 conference record to capture the regular-season crown and top-seed in the conference championship. The Bulldogs went on to defeat second-seeded Misericordia, 75-59, to capture the conference title. It was DeSales’ seventh title and first since 2010-11.
The 2019 MAC Freedom Championship seeds were: No. 1 DeSales, No. 2 Misericordia, No. 3 Manhattanville and No. 4 King’s.
Stevens finished last season with a 17-9 overall record and a 12-4 record in Empire 8 play. The Ducks fell in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 Tournament.
DeSales earned the conference’s automatic qualifier (AQ) to the NCAA Division III Championship. The Bulldogs advanced to the national quarterfinal with wins over Shenandoah (77-49) and Middlebury (70-55). DeSales fell to Ithaca in a 76-75 thriller in the quarterfinal.
Misericordia extended its postseason play in the ECAC Division III Championship. The Cougars defeated Widener in the quarterfinal round before falling to NYU in the semifinal round.
The 2019-20 season is set to begin on Friday, Nov. 8. The 2019 MAC Freedom Women’s Basketball Championship is set for Feb. 26-29.
The 2019-20 MAC Freedom Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll and 2018-19 final standings can be viewed below.
| 2019-20 MAC Freedom Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll |
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
(1st Place Votes) |
|
|
| 1 |
DeSales |
48 |
(6) |
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| 2 |
Misericordia |
42 |
(1) |
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|
| 3 |
Stevens |
35 |
(1) |
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| 4 |
King's |
32 |
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| 5 |
Eastern |
23 |
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| 6 |
FDU-Florham |
18 |
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| 7 |
Delaware Valley |
15 |
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| 8 |
Wilkes |
11 |
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| 2018-19 MAC Freedom Women's Basketball Final Standings |
|
| Finish |
Team |
Conf. |
Overall |
|
|
|
| 1 |
DeSales (1) |
14-0 |
27-3 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
Misericordia (2) |
10-4 |
23-6 |
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|
|
| 3 |
Manhattanville (3) |
8-6 |
17-8 |
|
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| 4 |
King's (4) |
6-8 |
12-14 |
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|
| 5 |
Delaware Valley |
5-9 |
11-14 |
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|
| 6 |
Eastern |
5-9 |
10-15 |
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| 7 |
FDU-Florham |
4-10 |
9-16 |
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| 8 |
Wilkes |
4-10 |
8-17 |
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| (#) - Conference Tournament Seed |
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