A-10 Media Day: UD women picked in bottom half of preseason poll

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Dayton Flyers women’s basketball team was picked to finish 11th in the Atlantic 10 Conference preseason poll, which was released Monday before A-10 Media Day at District E next to Capital One Arena.

Dayton top returners are: 5-8 senior guard Ivy Wolf, who led the team with 11.9 points per game; and 6-2 senior forward Arianna Smith, who ranked third on the team in scoring (9.2). The roster has eight newcomers: five transfers; and three freshmen.

The Flyers finished 12th in the A-10 the last two seasons, the first two seasons for coach Tamika Williams-Jeter.

“I’m super excited going into this year,” Williams-Jeter said. “We have eight new players, five transfers and three freshmen. It’s been really cool to get them integrated with each other.”

Williams-Jeter’s team finished 12-19 last season after posting a 7-21 mark in her first season. She praised the leadership she has seen in the preseason.

“We’re talented, which is nice, and very experienced,” she said. “Turnovers have gone down, which is something we needed. Our guard play has gone up tremendously.”

Wolf said Dayton has “a lot of different and unique skill sets. We’re excited to put it all together.”

Dayton was picked ninth last season and finished 12th with a 5-13 league mark. The previous season, in 2022, it was picked 10th and finished 12th with a 5-10 mark. Prior to that, Dayton ranked first or second in the preseason poll 12 straight seasons.

Richmond, the defending A-10 champion, received 10 first-place votes and was picked to finish first this season.

Saint Joseph’s, picked second, received four first-place votes. George Mason ranked third in the poll. Davidson, picked fourth, received one first-place vote.

No Flyers received preseason all-conference honors.


Complete poll

1. Richmond (10), 216

2. Saint Joseph’s (4), 211

3. George Mason, 188

4. Davidson, 173

5. VCU, 153

6. Duquesne, 148

7. Saint Louis, 132

8. Rhode Island 122

9. Fordham, 96

9. Loyola Chicago, 96

11. Dayton, 84

12. George Washington, 71

13. Massachusetts, 40

14. St. Bonaventure, 38

15. La Salle, 32

About the Author