WASHINGTON – The defending champion Richmond Spiders have been voted as the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball 2024-25 season favorite in the league’s annual Preseason Poll. The A-10 announced the poll along with the Preseason All-Conference awards Thursday during the league’s Media Day. The poll and awards are chosen by a panel of the Atlantic 10 head coaches.
 
The 2024 Regular Season and Postseason Champions, the Spiders return Preseason All-Conference first team selections Addie Budnik, who was the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year and A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player and Maggie Doogan as well second team selection Rachel Ullstrom, who earned Sixth Woman of the Year honors last year. Richmond went 29-6 and 16-2 in conference play last season to win their first ever Atlantic 10 Championship last season, earning a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament and narrowly falling to No. 7 Duke. Richmond received 10 first-place votes for 216 poll points.
 
Saint Joseph’s was chosen second in the poll with 211 points and four first place votes. The Hawks, who won a program-best 28 games last season and reached the quarterfinals of the WBIT, welcome back Preseason All-Conference first team selections Tayla Brugler and Laura Ziegler as well as a second team honoree Mackenzie Smith. St. Joe's finished last season tied for most road wins in the country (15), finishing 28-6 and 15-3 in league play.
 
After a record setting 2023-24 where they went 15-3 in the Atlantic 10 and won 23 games, George Mason was picked third in the Preseason Poll with 188 votes. The Patriots have the most Preseason All-Conference selections with four, led by second team selection and last year’s Rookie of the Year Zahirah Walton, who earned six Rookie of the Week honors last season. Joining Walton, are three third team selections, Ta’Viyanna Habib, Kennedy Harris and Nalani Kaysia.
 
Davidson slides in at fourth in the Preseason Poll with 173 votes. The Wildcats, who were rattled by injuries last season, finished 2023-24 at 8-10 in conference play but had one of the best non-conference wins in the league, defeating Duke in Durham. Preseason All-Conference second team selection Charlise Dunn headlines the returners for the Wildcats, who face a good non-conference schedule again, facing Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and NC State.
 
VCU, which returns 12 of its 15 letter winners from last year's team that went 26-6 overall and posted a 15-3 mark in A-10 play, comes in at fifth in the Preseason Poll with 153 votes. The Rams are led by Preseason All-Conference second team honoree Timaya Lewis-Eutsey, third team selection Mary-Anna Asare and defensive team member Mykel Parham.
 
Led by Preseason All-Conference first team and defensive team selection Megan McConnell, Duquesne checks in at sixth in the Preseason Poll with 148 votes. McConnell started in all 34 contests while pacing the Dukes in almost every statistical category last season, leading the team in points (13.1) rebounds (8.6), assists (4.6), steals (1.9), and total steals (64) while ranking first in the conference in total rebounds (294) and in assist to turnover ratio (2.2).
 
Coming off the first ever Postseason Championship in Atlantic 10 history last season, winning the WNIT, Saint Louis is slated seventh in the Preseason Poll with 132 points. The Billikens are led by Preseason All-Conference second team selection Peyton Kennedy and defensive team honoree Kennedy Calhoun, who helped lead Saint Louis to 22 wins last year including their WNIT run.
 
Last season’s A-10 runner-up Rhode Island was picked eighth in the Preseason Poll with 122 votes. The Rams are led by a pair of Preseason All-Conference third team selections Anaelle Dutat, who also earned a spot on the defensive team and Sophie Phillips.
 
Fordham and Loyola Chicago are tied for ninth in the preseason poll with 96 votes. The Rams feature Preseason All-Conference first team selection Taylor Donaldson, who led the A-10 in scoring last year, averaging 17.9 per game.
 
Rounding out the poll, are Dayton (84), George Washington (71), Massachusetts (40), St. Bonaventure (38) and La Salle (32).
 
McConnell, Donaldson, Budnik, Doogan, Brugler and Zielgler comprised the six-member Preseason All-Conference First Team while Dunn, Walton, Ullstrom, Smith, Kennedy and Lewis-Eutsey were named to the Preseason Second Team.
 
The Preseason Third Team was Habib, Harris, Kaysia, Dutat, Phillips and Asare while the Preseason All-Defensive Team rounded out the honors with McConnell, Dutat, Budnik, Calhoun, Parham.
 
The 2024-25 women’s basketball campaign tips off on Monday, Nov. 4 with league play beginning on Dec. 3 with a double-header. The season will culminate with the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship, at the Henrico Sports & Events Center in Henrico, Va., from March 5-9, 2024.

2024 A-10 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
 

	School (First-Place Votes)	Points
1	Richmond (10)	216
2	Saint Joseph's (4)	211
3	George Mason	188
4	Davidson (1)	173
5	VCU	153
6	Duquesne	148
7	Saint Louis	132
8	Rhode Island	122
9	Fordham	96
9	Loyola Chicago	96
11	Dayton	84
12	George Washington	71
13	Massachusetts	40
14	St. Bonaventure	38
15	La Salle	32