NCAA Women

Smith Ranked No. 7 in D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25

Smith Ranked No. 7 in D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25


NORTHAMPTON – Earning the highest national ranking in program history, the Smith College basketball team will start the 2022-23 campaign ranked No. 7 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25. In the rankings released on Monday, the Pioneers picked up 462 points and makes their second-consecutive appearance in the poll after a No. 23 ranking in the 2021 preseason edition.

The D3hoops.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, sports information directors, and media members from across the country, and is published weekly. Defending national champion Hope College garnered 14 first-place votes and was pegged the No. 1 team in the nation while Transylvania (3), New York University (6), UW-Whitewater (2), and Trinity (Texas) rounded out the top five.

Last season, Smith climbed to as high as No. 9 in the nation for the first time in program history in the final rankings of the 2021 season after narrowly defeating Wisconsin-Whitewater in the NCAA Round of 16. The Pioneers finished the year 25-3 with a perfect record at home (15-0) and an undefeated mark in NEWMAC play (9-0). 

This season, Smith will return HM All-American forward Katelyn Pickunka (Westhampton, Mass./Hampshire) and All-Region guard Dashelle Gleissner (Los Angeles, Calif./Serra) to lead a talented roster of veteran players. Forward Morgan Morrison (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Country Day) anchors a solid forward line, while the trio of Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin), Amelia Clairmont (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton School) and Ally Yamada (Seal Beach, Calif./Fairmont Prep Academy) each contributed mightily to the Pioneers success last year. Newcomers Selam Maher and Ella Sylvester and sophomore Jane Loo (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) will provide key depth for the Pioneers.

Taking a look ahead at the Smith schedule, five of the Pioneers opponents are currently ranked or are receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25. Smith will take on No. 11 Tufts, No. 16 Springfield, No. 25 Babson, RV Trinity, and RV Bowdoin as part of the 2022-23 season. 

D3hoops.com women’s Top 25, 2022-23 preseason

Entering the 2022-23 season:

Others receiving votes: DeSales 96; Simpson 90; Wartburg 81; UC Santa Cruz 61; DePauw 55; Trinity (Conn.) 46; Catholic 41; Cortland 26; Bates 25; East Texas Baptist 21; Gettysburg 18; Johns Hopkins 18; Illinois Wesleyan 15; John Carroll 13; New Jersey City 13; Rhode Island…

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