Henrico, Va. – According to a poll of Atlantic 10 head coaches and media, the Duquesne University women's basketball team has been picked to finish fifth in the A-10 in 2023-24. The annual preseason poll was announced Thursday at A-10 Women's Basketball Media Day, held at the Henrico Sports & Events Center.
In addition to being selected fifth in the A-10 preseason poll, junior guard
Megan McConnell was named to both the 2023-24 Preseason All-Atlantic 10 First Team and the 2023-24 Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Defensive Team.
The Dukes accumulated 172 points in the 2023-24 Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll and received one first-place vote. Rhode Island, which collected 12 first-place tallies and 218 points, was selected as the preseason favorite, followed by Saint Joseph's (203), Saint Louis (186) and Richmond (176). The Billikens earned a pair of first-place votes.
McConnell, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., was one of three Dukes to start each of Duquesne's 31 games last season, producing averages of 11.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per contest. She led the Atlantic 10 in assists while ranking second in the circuit in rebounding. For her efforts, McConnell was named to the 2023 All-Atlantic 10 Second Team.
Having reached double figures in scoring 21 times during the 2022-23 season, McConnell scored a career-high 23 points in an 83-69 victory over Richmond (2/18/23) at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. In that contest she shot 9-for-13 from the field, including 5-for-7 from beyond the arc, while also grabbing a career-high 18 rebounds.
Twice during the 2022-23 campaign McConnell registered a triple-double. In the second game of the year, a 77-69 triumph over Brown (11/11/22), McConnell finished with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Less than a month later on the road, McConnell registered 12 points, 14 caroms and 10 dimes in a 66-55 win @ Delaware (12/4/22).
McConnell also has been a stalwart defensively for the Dukes, having ranked fourth in the A-10 last season in steals with an average of 2.26 per game while also rejecting 18 shots. Entering the 2023-24 season, McConnell owns career totals of 722 points, 541 rebounds, 334 assists and 168 steals.
Led by head coach
Dan Burt, in his 11th season at the helm of the Dukes in 2023-24, Duquesne returns all five starters from a 2022-23 squad that posted an overall record of 19-12 (.613), including 8-8 (.500) in the Atlantic 10.
Joining McConnell as a returning starter are guards
Tess Myers and
Lauren Wasylson, forward
Amaya Hamilton and center
Ayanna Townsend. Add in senior forward
Precious Johnson, and the six student-athletes have combined for career totals of 3,575 points and 1,972 rebounds in a Duquesne uniform.
The Dukes open their 2023-24 campaign with a three-game road trip, beginning Monday, Nov. 6, with a 7:00 p.m. tip @ Princeton. Duquesne will also visit Niagara (11/11/23) and Howard (11/14/23) before opening the home portion of its slate with the City Game against Pitt at 2:00 p.m. at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse Saturday, Nov. 18. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by
using the following link.
2023-24 Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
| Team (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 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 |
FOLLOW THE DUKES
For the latest news and updates for Duquesne women's basketball, follow @DuqWBB on Twitter (X) and Instagram all season.
