WESTWOOD, Mass. – With 10 first place votes, Smith College has secured the top spot in the 2023-2024 NEWMAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. Coming off its third-consecutive NEWMAC Championship and the program's first Final Four appearance, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) National Coach of the Year, Lynn Hersey, welcomes back an experienced team in 2023-24. Smith went 30-2 a season ago and completed an undefeated conference slate. Among this year's returners are senior Jessie Ruffner, who was a NEWMAC All-Conference First Team and All-Region player after averaging 9.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and a career-best 118 assists. Senior Amelia Clairmont returns after starting 31 games with 55 made three-pointers, while sharp-shooter Ally Yamada returns for her final season after putting up impressive numbers off the bench in 2022-23. Tufts transfer Sofia Rosa joins an incoming class of five newcomers. 
 
MIT claims the second spot, nabbing the two remaining first place votes. Under the direction of head coach Lucia Robinson-Griggs, MIT compiled a 17-10 record in 2022-23 and advanced to the NEWMAC Tournament semifinals for the fourth time in five seasons. The Engineers return nine starters/key players, including Christina Antonakakis, who was the 2022 NEWMAC Athlete of the Year and is a two-time All-American.  2023 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and D3hoops.com Region 2 Rookie of the Year Alice Hall, who averaged 8.83 points per game, also returns for the Engineers. They will be joined by Kamsi Nwogu and Angie Choi, who were both in the top 10 in the NEWMAC in points per game with 15.1 and 12.7 respectively, earning All-Conference honors for their efforts.  
 
Landing in third is Babson College, who went 8-2 in the NEWMAC, reaching the tournament quarterfinals in 2023. The Beavers are coached by first-year head coach Kate Barnosky, and will look to Kelly Walsh to provide senior leadership. Walsh averaged 12.3 points per game, earning second team All-Conference honors in 2023.
 
In the fourth spot is Springfield College. The Pride are coached by Naomi Graves, and will return nine players from last year’s squad- including five who started 16 games or more. Among the returners is second team All-Conference performer Rachel Vinton, who averaged 11.3 points per game.
 
Fifth place goes to Worcester Polytechnic Institute, who is led by experienced head coach Cherise Galasso. The Engineers have one returning starter in Alice Kelly, who averaged 8.9 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game last season.

U.S. Coast Guard Academy slides into the sixth spot and is coached by Alex Ivansheck. Coast Guard returns sophomore Dorothy Stotts, who led the Bears with 12.8 points per game a season ago.
 
Emerson College nabs the seventh spot. Head coach Bill Gould enters his 17^th season at the helm for the Lions and will look to returner Ella Bushee to make an impact, as she comes off a season in which she averaged 12.8 points per game.
 
The eighth spot goes to Wheaton College, who will be led by interim head coach Allison Chernow. The Lyons returners are headlined by 2022 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, Abby Fernandes, who averaged 11.7 points per game last season.
 
NEWMAC newcomer Salve Regina University lands in the ninth spot. The Seahawks are coached by Cori Hughes and will return several key contributors from a season ago, including Sofia Neary, who averaged 7.8 points per game in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). 
 
Clark University rounds out the top ten. Clark brings back seven players from a season ago and welcomes nine newcomers to the fold under second year head coach Bridgette Reyes. Among the returners is senior Alaina Schatzabel who averaged 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per night a season ago.
 
Wellesley College, coached by Jen Kroll, and Mount Holyoke College, coached by Jackie Ward finish out the poll in the 11^th and 12^th spot, respectively.
 
The NEWMAC women’s basketball championship will be held on Sunday, February 25.
 
2023-2024 NEWMAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Smith (10) 
2. MIT (2) 
3. Babson
4. Springfield
5.  WPI
6. Coast Guard
7. Emerson
8. Wheaton
9. Salve Regina
10. Clark
11. Wellesley
12. Mount Holyoke

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with four Associate Members: Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), while sponsoring 20 sports.