LA ROCHE WOMEN PICKED TO FINISH AT TOP OF PRESEASON POLL

After the 2020-21 basketball season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AMCC women’s basketball student-athletes and coaches look forward to the start of a new season. La Roche University, the reigning AMCC champion, is expected by league coaches to finish in first place once again. Penn State Behrend which finished in fifth place in conference standings in 2020, has been tabbed to climb to the number two spot this year. AMCC coaches look for Pitt-Greensburg to round out the top three.

Penn State Altoona senior F Alexis Cannistraci and Pitt-Greensburg senior guard Nadege Durand have been named Preseason Co-Players of the Year.

Cannistraci was a 2019-20 AMCC first team all-conference selection. She reached the 1,000-point mark, finishing the season with 1,111 career points through three seasons. In the AMCC, she ranked first in free throws made (110), second in points (440), points per game (16.9), blocks (49), and blocks per game (1.9)

Durand was the team leader for the Bobcats in 2019-20, ranking first on the team in minutes, field goals made, points, points per game, and defensive rebounds. She also ranked second in three pointers made, and offensive rebounds. She averaged a double-double with 15 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game

The AMCC Championship will be held Sunday, February 26 at the site of the number one seed, with the winner earning the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Click here for the complete women's basketball preseason rankings and players to watch.