NEW ORLEANS, LA (WTKR)- The Old Dominion women's basketball team advanced to the Sun Belt semifinals last season and the league expects the Monarchs to be among its final four teams once again.
ODU was picked to finish fourth in the Sun Belt in the conference's preseason poll, which was released Monday morning ahead of this week's media day events in New Orleans. Defending champion James Madison was picked to repeat as the top program in the league.
In an athletic department release, Old Dominion head coach Delisha Milton-Jones called the prediction "motivation."
Milton-Jones and her team are coming off a 22-12 campaign, one that saw the Monarchs finish 12-6 in conference play. Kaye Clark and Jordan McLaughlin return as starters from last year's squad. They are also the team's top returning scorers from 2022-2023, with both averaging 8.6 points per game last season. The duo also marked ODU's two assist leaders during the campaign. Brenda Fontana, Mikayla Brown and Joy Campbell are back from last year's group as well.
Ten newcomers grace the silver and blue's current roster, which will give this year's team a good mix of returners, experience and young talent.
JMU received nine of a possible 14 first place votes, with Troy picked to finish second in the Sun Belt. Southern Mississippi was chosen third just ahead of Old Dominion. Georgia Southern, Louisiana and Texas State round out the top half of the poll.
The Monarchs did not place any players on the All-Sun Belt Preseason Team. Southern Mississippi's Domonique Davis was voted as the Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year.
ODU will host Christopher Newport in an exhibition game on October 27. The Monarchs tip off their regular season on November 7 at home against Lincoln (PA).
