An interview with Williams-Jeter aired on ESPN+ on Thursday during Media Day. She said the program didn’t have the season she wanted last year but built the foundation it needs this season.
“Winning takes patience,” she said, “and that’s what we learned last year. You can’t cheat that process. So coming into this year, having our returners take ownership over holding each other accountable for what they’re responsible for individually and getting 1% better every day, that’s all we’ve been talking about.”
Dayton returns six of its top seven scorers this season and has five newcomers on a 14-player roster. It opens the season Nov. 8 at Connecticut.
“We’re lot deeper, of course,” Williams-Jeter said. “Just adding bodies helps. Having a year of experience will help me as a head coach. It starts with me and permeates down to the returners and then the additions. The additions have moved forward quickly because the returners have taken that on from a leadership standpoint. I’m excited to get the ball going. I’m excited about the first game and excited about our last scrimmage this weekend. I’m always trying to stack where we are right now and where we need to be once we get to A-10 play.”
Dayton forward Mariah Perez, a graduate student, was named to the A-10 third team. She averaged 11.9 points and 9.4 rebounds last season. She appeared at Media Day with her coach and said the experience of last season will fuel the team.
“We’re just going to go hard,” Perez said. “We didn’t end up where we wanted last year. ... People said we fought to the end, but you’re going to see even more fight to the end.”
Rhode Island, the defending regular-season co-champion along with Massachusetts, was voted the preseason favorite. It received 12 of the 15 first-place votes. Rhode Island and UMass tied for first last season with 14-2 records.
Saint Joseph’s was picked second and was followed by Saint Louis, the defending A-10 tournament champion which received two first-place votes. Richmond placed fourth in the poll. Duquesne, which received one first-place vote, was picked fifth.
Rounding out the poll were: No. 6 George Washington; No. 7 Davidson; No. 8 George Mason; No. 9 Dayton; No. 10 Virginia Commonwealth; No. 11 UMass; No. 12 La Salle; No. 13 Fordham; No. 14 St. Bonaventure; and No. 15 Loyola Chicago.
PRESEASON POLL
1. Rhode Island (12), 218
2. Saint Joseph’s, 203
3. Saint Louis (2), 186
4. Richmond, 176
5. Duquesne (1), 172
6. George Washington, 150
7. Davidson, 124
8. George Mason, 111
9. Dayton, 100
10. VCU, 96
11. Massachusetts, 70
12. La Salle, 66
13. Fordham, 54
14. St. Bonaventure, 39
15. Loyola Chicago, 35
PRESEASON AWARDS
FIRST TEAM
Elle Sutphin Davidson, R-Sr., F, 6-3
Megan McConnell Duquesne, Jr., G, 5-7
Mayé Touré Rhode Island, Sr., F, 6-2
Addie Budnik Richmond, Sr., F, 6-2
Talya Brugler Saint Joseph’s, Jr., G, 6-1
Kyla McMakin Saint Louis, Gr., G, 5-11
SECOND TEAM
Nya Robertson, George Washington, So., G, 5-7
Teisha Hyman, Rhode Island, Gr., G, 5-8
Maggie Doogan, Richmond, So., F, 6-2
Laura Ziegler, Saint Joseph’s, So., G, 6-2
Sarah Te-Biasu, VCU, Sr., G, 5-5
Julia Martinez, Saint Louis, Gr., G, 5-10
THIRD TEAM
Suzi-Rose Deegan, Davidson, 5th, G, 5-10
Mariah Perez, Dayton, Gr., F, 6-3
Nalani Kaysia, George Mason, Sr., F, 6-2
Mayowa Taiwo, George Washington, Gr., F, 6-0
Tenin Magassa, Rhode Island, Sr., C 6-5
Mackenzie Smith, Saint Joseph’s, Jr., G, 5-10
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Megan McConnell, Duquesne, Jr., G, 5-7
Mayowa Taiwo, George Washington, Gr., F
Anaelle Dutat, Rhode Island, So., F, 6-0
Kennedy Calhoun, Saint Louis, Jr., G, 5-5
Julia Martinez, Saint Louis, Gr., G, 5-10
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