Toppin Named to Preseason All-NEC Basketball Team; CCSU Tabbed Eighth in Preseason Poll
The Northeast Conference released its Preseason Coaches' Poll and Preseason All-NEC Team on Wednesday during its broadcast of Media Day for women's basketball. The Blue Devils were tabbed as the eighth team in the poll and Forever Toppin was named to the Preseason All-NEC Team.
The Northeast Conference released its Preseason Coaches' Poll and Preseason All-NEC Team on Wednesday during its broadcast of Media Day for women's basketball. The Blue Devils were tabbed as the eighth team in the poll and Forever Toppin was named to the Preseason All-NEC Team.
Wagner was the number one pick in the poll, receiving 5 first-place votes. Fairleigh Dickinson earned the second-place spot with 3 votes, followed by St. Francis Brooklyn with one vote to round out the top three. Saint Francis U was picked fourth followed by Merrimack in fifth and Sacred Heart in sixth. LIU, CCSU, and Stonehill took the seventh, eighth, and nineth spots, respectively.
CCSU will have two of its starters from last season, Forever Toppin and Dejah Jenkins, returning to the court this year. Toppin was also named to the 2022-23 Preseason All-NEC Women's Basketball Team. She was ranked in the top 20 of the NEC in four statistical categories by the end of the 2021-22 season including 6th in assists (3.3 per game), 2nd in steals (1.9 per game), 6th in assist/turnover ratio (0.8), and 20th in minutes played (28.9 per game).
Head coach Kerri Reaves will be at the helm for CCSU for her third full season this year. Reaves has been on the coaching staff for CCSU women's hoops for 16 seasons and was named head coach before the start of 2020-2021 season.
2022-23 NEC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Wagner (5)
2. Fairleigh Dickinson (3)
3. St. Francis Brooklyn (1)
4. Saint Francis U
5. Merrimack
6. Sacred Heart
7. LIU
8. CCSU
9. Stonehill
2022-23 Preseason All-NEC Women's Basketball Team
Teneisia Brown, MC, Jr, F, 6-2, Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon (St. Andrew's)
Emaia O'Brien, LIU, So, G, 5-1, Detroit, MI/Chandler Park Academy
Zhaneia Thybulle, WC, Gr, G, 5-7, Elmont, NY/Elmont Memorial (UNC Wilmington)
Forever Toppin, CCSU, Sr, G, 5-8, Paterson, NJ/Sinai Christian Academy
Chloe Wilson, FDU, Jr, F, 5-10, Freeport, NY/South Shore