Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Women's Basketball Voted Fourth in Patriot League Preseason Poll
11/3/2011 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 3, 2011
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell women's basketball was voted fourth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, and Shelby Romine (Centreville, Va./Westfield) was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, the league announced on Thursday. The Bison are coming off an 11-17 year in which they place fourth in the 2010-11 league standings and hosted the first-ever women's basketball postseason game at Bucknell. They now look toward their 2011-12 opener set for Friday, Nov. 11 against Saint Peter's at Sojka Pavilion.
Bucknell turned out to be the surprise of the Patriot League last year when they went from an eighth-place standing in the preseason poll to a fourth-place finish in March. The Bison maintained that place in the new poll, trailing American, which was first with 94 points and 11 first-place votes, Lehigh and Navy. The Mountain Hawks were second with 83 points and three first-place votes, while the Midshipmen were third with 74 points and two first-place votes. Bucknell totaled 58 points in the vote, with Holy Cross (52), Lafayette (38), Army (26) and Colgate (23) rounded out the bottom half of the poll.
Bucknell's fourth-place showing in the vote is its highest since 2007-08 when the Bison were picked first in the preseason poll. Bucknell went on to win the Patriot League Tournament title that season and earned its second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
Romine becomes Bucknell's first Preseason All-League selection since Amanda Brown and Hope Foster in 2007-08. The current Bison sophomore led the team in scoring (13.5 ppg), assists (3.6 apg) and steals (1.3 spg) last season. After winning a league-best six Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors, Romine was then named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team at the end of the campaign. She finished her debut season ranked seventh at Bucknell in single-season three-point field goals (47) and freshman scoring (379).
Romine begins 2011-12 as the league's returning leader in scoring and assists, and is one of Bucknell's co-captains. She will share the leadership duties this season with senior Christina Chukwuedo (Monessen, Pa./Monessen) and junior Lindsay Horbatuck (Avon, Conn./Avon).
The Patriot League Preseason Poll and Preseason Team are determined by a vote of the schools' head coaches and sports information directors who cannot vote for their teams and student-athletes.
The Bison begin their season on Friday, Nov. 11 when they host the Saint Peter's Peahens at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. The Patriot League schedule will get underway on Jan. 7, 2012 when Bucknell welcomes Army to Sojka Pavilion. Tickets are now on sale through the Campus Box Office at 570-577-1000 or http://www.bucknell.edu/Boxoffice.xml. Women's single-game tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for ages 18 & under and 62 & above.
Preseason Patriot League Women's Basketball Poll
1. American - 94 points (11 first-place votes)
2. Lehigh - 83 (3)
3. Navy - 74 (2)
4. Bucknell - 58
5. Holy Cross - 52
6. Lafayette - 38
7. Army - 26
8. Colgate - 23
Preseason All-Patriot League Team#
Jade Geif, Navy, So.^ (Preseason Player of the Year)
Lisa Strack, American, Sr.
Shelby Romine, Bucknell, So.^
Alex Smith, Holy Cross, So.
Emily Gratch, Lehigh, Sr.
Alexa Williams, Lehigh, Sr.
# - Six players due to a tie in voting
^ - Unanimous selection
