LHU Women’s Basketball picked No. 1 in PSAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
LOCK HAVEN – The reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division champion Lock Haven women’s basketball team was picked to defend its title when the PSAC Preseason Coaches poll was announced on Thursday (Oct. 24).
The Bald Eagles received all eight of the first-place votes from the other coaches in the PSAC East to sit atop the preseason poll. West Chester was picked second, followed by Kutztown to round out the top-three. Millersville was slated fourth, followed by East Stroudsburg, Bloomsburg, Shippensburg, Mansfield and Shepherd to round out the nine teams in the poll.
Defending PSAC champion and NCAA DII elite eight qualifier Gannon was picked to win the West after earning six first place votes. California (1), IUP and Edinboro (1) round out the top four, with Cal and Edinboro.
Highlighted by three All-PSAC East athletes and the Defensive Player of the Year, the Bald Eagles return a loaded roster which was recently chosen as a top-13 team to watch by NCAA.com’s Wayne Cavadi.
Last season, the Bald Eagles finished with a program-record 29 victories, a PSAC East regular season title, a 21-1 conference mark and the first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1991. Lock Haven’s run of 19 consecutive victories was a program record, while The Haven’s four loses all came at the hands of NCAA Tournament teams.
The Bald Eagles also reached the NCAA DII WBCA and CSC National Rankings for the first time in program history.
Alana Robinson (First Team, Defensive Player of the Year), Jenadia Jordan (First Team) and Rhlyn Rouse (Freshman of the Year, Second Team) headline the group of All-Conference returners, while Olivia Smith and Madeline Evans also return after making a major impact in the starting lineup last season.
The Bald Eagles added seven new athletes to the squad for this season, including two players with PSAC experience in Kiera Baughman and Nufi Nemale-Djiegoue.
The program’s all-time head coaching wins leader Jennifer Smith returns for her 17th and most anticipated season at The Haven. Smith was named the PSAC East Coach of the Year in 2023-24 and was a finalist for the 2023-24 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Coach of the Year.
Lock Haven opens the season by hosting the PSAC/Mountain East Conference Challenge inside Thomas Fieldhouse on Friday and Saturday, 8-9. The Bald Eagles take on Concord on Friday evening at 6 p.m. before hosting Fairmont State on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Lock Haven went a perfect 15-0 at home during the regular season and earned the right to host the conference tournament at home, where it started 2-0 to reach the championship, before falling to the Western Division top-seeded Gannon.
The Bald Eagles open PSAC East-West crossover action on Friday (Nov. 22) when they travel to Pitt-Johnstown. The Haven went a perfect 6-0 in crossover play in 2023-24.
The Bald Eagles open Eastern Division play by hosting Kutztown on Friday (Jan. 3) at Thomas Fieldhouse. To view the entire 2024-25 schedule, click here.
Check back to GoLHU.com in the coming weeks for the NCAA DII National Rankings.
EAST
1. Lock Haven (8)
2. West Chester (1)
3. Kutztown
4. Millersville
5. East Stroudsburg
6. Bloomsburg
7. Shippensburg
8. Mansfield
9. Shepherd
WEST
1. Gannon (6)
2. California (1)
3. IUP
4. Edinboro (1)
5. Seton Hill
6. Slippery Rock
7. Pitt-Johnstown
8. Clarion
