Thoughts after the release of the Preseason Top 25 Poll!

Yesterday brought about the long-awaited release of the D3hoops.com Top 25 Preseason Poll! It’s a great time of the year because that means basketball season is just days from tipping off. We’ve already had several exhibitions involving D3s and I’ll be at one tonight, as Hardin-Simmons plays at Baylor in Waco, Texas. Looking forward to seeing HSU in action.

I thought I’d break down the Preseason Poll, team-by-team, with my thoughts and analysis. This is in order of the Preseason Poll, not my ballot. In parentheses next to each team is where I had them in my ballot. You can see my full ballot here:

The Preseason Poll

#1 Transylvania (#2): I was somewhat surprised to see this, but then again, Transy went 33-0 last season and appears poised for another big year. The Pioneers picked up 17 first-place votes, which is a few more than I expected, but with the returning production, including Dasia Thornton and Kennedi Stacy, I get it. They out-rebounded a D-I opponent (Eastern Kentucky) 51-34 last night, and I won’t be surprised to see Transy back in the Final Four in Cleveland come March.

#2 NYU (#1): All of that said…NYU was still my No. 1 pick. Yes, I was one of the eight voters who had the Violets in the top spot and for good reason. 72% of last year’s roster is back, including stellar guards Belle Pellecchia, Jordan Janowski, and Erica Miller. Forward Natalie Bruns is back, too. But that’s not even the best part. 2022-23 National Player of the Year Morgan Morrison transferred in as a grad student and so did First-Team All-American Megan Bauman, who left a lasting impact at Babson. Morrison and Batman were two of the country’s best players for the last couple of seasons and now they team up on a roster that would’ve been a Top 10 team, most likely, even if neither had transferred in. Northwestern (D1) transfer Laya Hartman comes in after spending four years in the Big 10, and should add post depth. Anyway, that’s my $0.02 on putting NYU above Transy.

#3 Christopher Newport (#6): This feels a little high for CNU, but again, head coach Bill Broderick always has his teams ready to go. The Captains play outstanding defense, which will serve them well, especially in some of their non-conference matchups. Not having Anaya Simmons back leaves a slight concern about experience and depth on the roster, but I like CNU’s outlook for this season. Excited to see this team come together.

#4 Tufts (#3): Tufts brings back nearly its entire roster from 2022-23; 97% to be exact. The Jumbos might be the frontrunner in the NESCAC with so many stellar returners, including Maggie Russell and Sofia Gonzalez. Trinity (CT) is certainly going to be right there to challenge Tufts atop the league standings, which might be one of the better conference title races in the country. Totally agree with Tufts in the Top 5, and I had the Jumbos one spot higher than they ended up.

#5 Rhode Island College (#12): And the differences begin…I had RIC a full nine spots higher than where the Anchorwomen ended up. Don’t get me wrong…there is a bunch of talent on this roster and 84% of last year’s Final Four team is back. But at the same time, RIC was the Cinderella team of last year’s NCAA Tournament, and I’m not ready to put them ahead of Wartburg, Whitewater, and others just yet. They went from being unranked to #5 in last year’s final poll and I’m not quite comfortable with putting them back at #5 until seeing how they fare against Tufts, Babson, and Trinity (CT) early on.

#6 Scranton (#4): I had Scranton higher than where the Lady Royals ended up and really feel like this is a Top 5 team. Scranton was nearly flawless throughout last year, and yes, losing Bridget Monaghan will be a challenge, but players like Kaci Kranson and Maddy Ryan should lead the team well. Plus, there are big expectations for Rider transfer Victoria Toomey and Elizabethtown transfer Kaeli Romanowski. If everything comes together, Scranton may be near unstoppable for most of the year.

#7 Trinity (CT) (#5): The Bantams will be back in full force. Emma Wax, Bria Fuller, and Reilly Campbell all return. Really like the fact that Trinity is at #7, but I think a case could be made to have them higher. The NESCAC might be the best league in the country this year with the way things are shaping up.

#8 Wartburg (#7): I had the Knights in pretty much the same spot as they ended up in the poll, and that is a good thing. The entire panel of voters seems to be pretty confident that Wartburg is a Top 10 team, and why shouldn’t the Knights be? Nearly the entire roster is back, including four players who started all 30 games last season.

#9 UW-Whitewater (#11): The Warhawks are going to be incredibly talented and a force in the WIAC. North Dakota State transfer Katie Hildebrandt joins Aleah Grundahl in the post, and together, those two should be an excellent team in the frontcourt. Kacie Carollo is a tremendous outside shooter as well and the pieces seem to be there for another really strong year at Whitewater. Totally understand why they are in the Top 10, even though I had them a couple spots lower.

#10 Ohio Northern (#8): 91% of the roster is back for ONU, a team that went 25-5 last season. That includes fifth-year senior Brynn Serbin, an All-American guard who shoots it with remarkable consistency and range. She’s an outstanding player and, in my opinion, is a big reason why ONU ended up in the Top 10. The returning production as a whole is so good, and I felt very confident putting ONU at #8 in my ballot.

#11 Smith (#14): Two starters are back and 51% of the 2022-23 roster overall. Smith was very much a Top 10 team last year, but this time around, I’m looking to see the Pioneers play a little bit before putting them that high once again. It appears the entire voting panel had a similar thought process, as this is one of those programs that you know will contend year-in and year-out, but it’s just a matter of knowing how much the lack of returners in key spot (particularly losing Morgan Morrison) will affect Smith.

#12 Trinity (TX) (#24): Am I just too skeptical? As a Texas native, I always appreciate seeing Texas programs ranked high on a national scale. And I really appreciate the way Trinity’s program operates. That said, I’m not sure Trinity is a Top 15 team. At least, not based on the information we have available right now. Cam Hill is one of the best coaches around and the Tigers will be ready. But #12? I don’t know. I will say that Maggie Robbins and Josie Napoli return as experienced starters and Trinity also has some up-and-comers who should be impressive as the season goes on. I’ll need to see Trinity play a little bit before putting them in my Top 20.

#13 Babson (#21): I wasn’t quite sure about having Babson at #21, but obviously there are several voters much more confident than I am in Babson entering this season! Overall, I think the pieces are there for a solid first season under new head coach Kate Barnosky, with three returning starters and eight who played 10+ minutes/game last season. Megan Bauman is now at NYU, and Samantha Smith graduated, but Kelly Walsh should be in for a big year as far as scoring production goes.

#14 DeSales (#15): I pretty much had DeSales in the same spot, and I think the Bulldogs should be solid once again. You can count on their consistency (about as much as you can count on a low SOS, haha) and three starters are back. 71% of last year’s roster returns and DeSales is the frontrunner in the MAC Freedom.

#15 Gustavus Adolphus (#9): I ranked the Gusties higher than where they ended up, in large part due to the quality of the returners. Kylie Baranick was, at times, the most impressive scorer on the team, and she returns, as does Emma Kniefel, another 29-game starter last season. Rachel Kawiecki is one of the best forwards in the MIAC, and Gustavus has quite a bit of quality depth at guard too. Time will tell if Gustavus is indeed, a Top 10 team or not.

#16 Hardin-Simmons (#16): This is the first and only time that my ballot matched up exactly with the poll. HSU returns several fifth-year seniors, including Paris Kiser, Paris Parmer, and Samantha Tatum. The addition of Colorado College transfer Anna Fanelli will be a big positive for the Cowgirls as well. I think HSU could be a Top 10 team by the season’s end. But #16 feels like just the right spot for them as we evaluate these teams in the preseason.

#17 Trine (Not ranked): Again, returning production came into play here for me. Sidney Wagner is an outstanding player and will be very good again. But the MIAA as a whole graduated a lot and Trine is no different. Two starters come back and just 58% of the roster. I do think that as the year goes on, Trine very much could emerge as the frontrunner in the MIAA, but I could also see that happening with Hope. I’ll be watching Trine quite a bit early on and won’t hesitate to move the Thunder onto my ballot if warranted.

#18 Elizabethtown (#17): Similar line of thinking between my ballot and how the poll played out once again. General consensus across the country is that Elizabethtown will be a real challenger in the Landmark. All five starters are back and three others who averaged 10+ min/game last season as the program reached the NCAA Tournament once again. The Blue Jays are very much heading in the right direction may even surprise some people with just how successful they are this season. The chemistry is there with 91% of the roster back, and this is an experienced coaching staff as well.

#19 Loras (#13): Loras had a coaching change over the offseason, with Justin Busch taking over a program that Justin Heinzen built up in the ARC. Though Wartburg is the frontrunner in this league, the Duhawks aren’t far behind, in my opinion. Four starters are back, and based on what I saw from Loras throughout last season, I felt pretty confident with putting the Duhawks in my Top 15.

#20 Mary Washington (Not ranked): I didn’t end up having space for Mary Washington in my ballot, but this was a team I highly considered. When you return 74% of the roster and four starters, you’re instantly going to pick up some votes. Totally understand Mary Washington at #20 and I’ll be interested to see how the season plays out for the Eagles. A Dec. 2 matchup against Marymount is pretty interesting and could be a good data point later on once tournament selection becomes a topic of discussion.

#21 Hope (Not ranked): Hope is one of the bluebloods of D-III women’s hoops and Brian Morehouse is one of the best coaches at this level. That said, I wasn’t a huge fan of putting a team on my ballot that doesn’t return a starter and has just three players who averaged 10+ min/game last year. If Hope proves it is once again at that Top 25 level, I’ll have no problem putting them in. But in the preseason, and with how much I believe returning production factors into a team’s potential, it was hard for me to see putting Hope in above UW-Stout, Millikin, and others.

#22 Chicago (Not ranked): Chicago was very nearly on my ballot and is probably the #26 team right now in my opinion. Two starters are back, and 44% of last year’s roster returns. Much like Hope, I want to see how Chicago looks early on before putting them in my Top 25. But I don’t disagree with ranking Chicago, either. I think they will end up being a solid contender in the UAA, just like in years past.

#23 Whitman (#20): Whitman will compete in a very talented Northwest Conference this season, along with playing a fairly strong strength of schedule. That should give us a good idea of where Whitman is at as it relates to the Top 25 early in the season. Four starters return, including Korin Baker, a talented senior forward.

#24 Millikin (#23): With Bailey Coffman back as a fifth-year senior and Elyce Knudsen at guard, Millikin is the frontrunner out of the CCIW. Knudsen won the Jostens Trophy last season and was a First Team All-America selection. Expect similar numbers from her again as Millikin remains a team to watch in the Midwest.

#25 Messiah (Not Ranked): Messiah should be a solid team this season in the MACC and an NCAA Tournament contender for sure. But bringing back just 57% makes me a little weary. They are on my watch list, but I thought there were a few other teams ahead of them based on the information available. But again, Messiah is always a strong team, and I understand why the Falcons took the final spot in the poll.

Teams I voted for that were not ranked

Emory (#18): I’ll start with Emory since the Eagles had the most points amongst unranked teams. Claire Brock is back as a fifth-year senior and nearly 90% of last year’s roster is back, including every starter. Emory is going to be very dangerous in the UAA. The Eagles picked up 71 points in the preseason poll.

UW-Oshkosh (#25): I was surprised that the WIAC didn’t get more attention here in this poll, considering the high level of play in the conference year-in and year-out. Oshkosh is more experienced this year than last, and brings back four starters. That gave me enough confidence to slot the Titans in the final spot of my ballot.

Baldwin Wallace (#10): If you follow Scott Peterson, you will see that he put out his Top 25 ballot publicly as well, and had Baldwin Wallace at #11. I had them at #10. If you do the math, Baldwin Wallace picked up 31 points from the two of us. How many points did the Yellowjackets have in the poll? 31. That’s right. We had Baldwin Wallace very high and 23 other voters didn’t have the Yellowjackets at all. But the top three scorers return on a team that went 22-6. They’re going to be a force in the OAC once again this season. In my opinion, Baldwin Wallace was a lock for my Top 25. Apparently everyone else didn’t think so, haha.

Amherst (#19): Once again, Scott had Amherst at #14 and I had the Mammoths at #19. Do the math and that’s 19 points. Yep, Amherst received 19 points in the poll. I really don’t understand this. They were very young last year…yet they still went 17-8 in one of the toughest leagues in the country. With everybody back, the team chemistry will be built in, and I fully expect Amherst to be back near the top of the NESCAC. Very surprised that nobody else put Amherst on their ballot. This team is set up for success.

UW-Stout (#22): Another WIAC team on my ballot, Stout brings back a stellar group of guards and really surprised some people last year. Raegan Sorensen should be in contention for WIAC Player of the Year and this is sentiment shared by many both in the WIAC and nationally. The WIAC has a ton of great players, but Sorensen’s versatility is probably what stands out the most. She leads a backcourt that will contend with anybody in the league. My only concern with Stout is the depth in the post. Not having Haylee Yeager back will not be easy. But I feel pretty confident with this team as a whole and the outlook on this season for the Blue Devils. Again, fairly surprised that Stout didn’t have more than 10 points in the poll.

That about wraps it up! Next poll will be released on Nov. 27, but I’ll probably release a Top 25 each week, starting on Nov. 13. Going to head out to get to this Hardin-Simmons/Baylor game, but if you have thoughts on the Top 25 poll, or feedback on any of the teams mentioned, be sure to leave a comment below or DM me on X/Twitter (@ZayasRiley). Always great to have conversations on the Top 25 and hear various perspectives. Have a great weekend!