COLONIA, N.J. – The 2025-26 East Coast Conference (ECC) Preseason Poll has been released with the D'Youville Saints Women's Basketball team ranking fourth out of nine teams.
The Saints finished the 2024-25 season with a 10-16 overall record and an 8-8 record in ECC play. D'Youville earned the #4 seed in the six-team conference tournament. The Saints hosted the first round against #5 Molloy University for the first-time in program history.
After two consecutive years of making the post-season, D'Youville is on the hunt for their third consecutive postseason bid under the direction of Head Coach,
Kelly Broderick in her second season.
D'Youville returns seven familiar faces including key producers such as Senior,
Morgan Giancaterino (Orchard Park, N.Y. / Sacred Heart Academy) and Sophomore,
Aliviya Vallone Russell (Buffalo, N.Y. / Cardinal O'Hara). The team also welcomes in nine new faces including transfer students,
Karly Holm (Two Harbors, Minn. / Two Harbors) and
Xanthippi Karatasiou (Katerini, Greece / Kontariotissa).
The team kicks off their 2025-26 campaign on November 15th at the St. Thomas Aquinas College Tip-Off Tournament in Sparkill, New York.
2025-26 ECC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Daemen - 81 points (9 first-place votes)
2. Mercy - 72 points
3. Staten Island - 51 points
4. D'Youville - 49 points
5. St. Thomas Aquinas - 41 points
6. District of Columbia - 37 points
7. Molloy - 36 points
8. Queens - 21 points
9. Roberts Wesleyan - 17 points
2025-26 ECC Preseason Player of the Year
Claire Pikett, Sr., Daemen University
