EC Women’s Basketball Selected Tied for Fifth in SLIAC Preseason Poll

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — The Eureka women's basketball team has been selected to finish tied for fifth in the 2019-20 preseason St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference preseason poll.

The poll, which was conducted by league women's basketball coaches, was released to the public on Tuesday afternoon.

Spalding, last year's runner-up, received the top spot with 70 overall votes, including two of the nine first-place votes.

Greenville followed with 64 overall votes and three first-place votes, and Wester finished third with a poll-high four first-place votes.

Westminster was fourth with 52 votes, followed by Eureka and Fontbonne with 41. Iowa Wesleyan, Blackburn, MacMurray and Principia rounded out the poll.

Eureka returns three starters and six letterwinners from last season's team, which won 14 games, recorded the Red Devils' third straight winning season and went .500 in SLIAC play.

Among the returners are SLIAC assist leader Kennedy Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield), SLIAC free throw queen Ashley Harfst (Saunemin, Ill./Pontiac) and the team's second-leading rebounder, Olivia Falls (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington).

2019-20 Preseason SLIAC Women's Basketball Coaches Poll (First-place votes)

1. Spalding - 70 (2)

2. Greenville - 64 (3)

3. Webster - 63 (4)

4. Westminster - 52

T5. Fontbonne - 41

T5. Eureka - 41

7. Iowa Wesleyan - 27

8. Blackburn - 23

9. MacMurray - 21

10. Principia - 9

Watch List

Addison Beussink, Webster

Kallee Dowler, Westminster

Naomi Johnson, Webster

Allison Just, Spalding 

Jaysea Morgan, Webster

Rylee Stafford, Fontbonne

Morgan St. James, Greenville