LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team was picked to finish seventh in this winter's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division standings, according to a preseason poll of the division's head coaches released Thursday as part of the conference's basketball media day.

California received five of a possible eight first-place votes in the poll and is the "team to beat," according to the coaches. Gannon received two No. 1 votes and finished second in the poll, followed by Indiana, Edinboro, Mercyhurst, Clarion, The Rock and Lock Haven.

Edinboro got the other first-place vote.

The Rock, under the guidance of 10-year head coach Laurel Heilman, return two starters from last year's team, which had an 11-16 final overall record. Senior guards Julie Molloy and Nikki Presto return after averaging 10.4 and 9.1 points per game, respectively.

Also returning is senior guard Chere' Marshall, who averaged 6.5 points per game and started 10 games a year ago.

All told, Heilman has six players back from last year's team. She will look to combine those players' talents with that of 10 newcomers to the Green and White program.

The Rock travels to St. Francis (Pa.) for an exhibition game next Friday, Nov. 6, before officially tipping off the season Nov. 15 at Tiffin (Ohio) University.

The home opener is three days later, Nov. 18, when Seton Hill invades Morrow Field House for a 7 p.m. game.

Click here to view the complete 2009-10 Rock women's basketball schedule.


2009-10 PSAC-West Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)

1. California (5)
2. Gannon (2)
3. Indiana
4. Edinboro
5. Mercyhurst
6. Clarion
7. Slippery Rock
8. Lock Haven