(MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.) - The Thomas More College women's basketball team is ranked No. 14 in the D3hoops.com Top-25 preseason poll that was released on Wednesday (October 25, 2012).
The Saints were 25-5 overall and 17-1 in the PAC last season on their way to their seventh straight Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) regular season title, sixth straight PAC tournament title and NCAA tournament appearance. Thomas More advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament where they fell to eventual national champions Illinois Wesleyan University.
Thomas More will return its three top-scorers from last season as senior guard Allison Long (Hebron, Ky./Conner) and junior guard Katie Kitchen (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) and Devin Beasley (Burlington, Ky./Conner) all return. Long averaged 15.5 points per game and dished out 3.6 assists per game, while Kitchen averaged 15.3 ppg., and 4.3 rebounds per game and Beasley averaged 9.3 ppg., and 4.5 apg. The Saints also return their top rebounder in junior forward Moriah Corey (Louisville, Ky./Butler), who averaged 7.4 rpg.
The Saints and second-year head coach Jeff Hans have three opponents on their 2012-13 schedule that are in the Top-25 or are receiving votes. The Saints will face top-ranked Calvin College on November 23 on the first day of the Julie Costello Memorial Classic presented by Barleycorn's at the Connor Convocation Center, Centre College, who is receiving votes on November 20 at the Connor Convocation Center and Saint Vincent College, who is receiving votes on January 12 at the Connor Convocation Center and on February 16 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
Thomas More opens the season on November 16 when it plays Defiance College on the first day of the Country Hearth Inn/Famous Recipe Classic hosted by Centre in Danville, Kentucky. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
