Photo by: Brent Hugo
Lehigh picked first; Buhr named Preseason All-Patriot League
10/17/2019 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Patriot League Women's Basketball Preseason Poll was announced on Thursday morning, as Lehigh was picked to finish first with 140 points including nine first-place votes. The Mountain Hawks were selected ahead of Holy Cross by two points and four first-place votes, while eight points ahead of Bucknell in third. In addition to the first place honor, Lehigh senior guard Camryn Buhr was selected to the Preseason All-Patriot League team. The Preseason Player of the Year award was also handed out by the league.
Voting for the preseason poll, the Player of the Year and five-member All-Patriot League team was completed by the Patriot League women's basketball coaches and sports information directors. They could not vote for their own team or student-athletes.
"Preseason polls are a reflection of the garnered respect others have for our program and should provide incentive for our team to bring their best each day," said head coach Sue Troyan. "As a program, we are focused on using each day and practice to better ourselves individually and collectively, so we are well prepared to compete in what will be a highly competitive league season with many strong contenders."
The Mountain Hawks return the bulk of the roster with 13 returnees and only two players lost, including four players in the starting lineup. Buhr, Patriot League All-Defensive team selection Hannah Hedstrom, Gena Grundhoffer and Cameryn Benz all return to the floor for their senior years. Hedstrom led the team with 3.2 assists per game and 1.7 steals per game in addition to 5.1 rebounds per game, ranking third on the team. Grundhoffer ranked third in scoring per game last year (9.0) and fifth in rebounds (3.9), and Benz averaged 7.6 points and 6.6 rebounds while averaging 23.3 minutes per game. Lehigh also brings in two freshmen from Minnesota, Anna Harvey and Frannie Hottinger, into the fold for the upcoming season.
Buhr was named a Preseason All-Patriot League selection for the upcoming season and it is well-deserved, based off her outstanding 2018-19 season in which she received First Team All-Patriot League honors for her efforts. Buhr led the Mountain Hawks with 12.9 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game while appearing in 30 contests. She is the closest player to reach the 1,000 point plateau, currently with 976 career points in three seasons. Once she reaches the milestone, Buhr will become just the eighth member of Lehigh's 1,000 point/500 rebound club.
"Cam is very deserving of being selected to the pre-season all-league team," said Troyan. "Throughout her career, she has been a consistent contributor on both ends of the floor as one of our strongest defenders and one of our most versatile offensive threats.
"The emergence of Cam as a leader for our program will play a critical role in her maturity as a player and our success as a program."
Troyan's 25th season as head coach opens up on Nov. 6 at Delaware State with the home opener set for Nov. 13 against George Washington for Education Day at 11 a.m. Season tickets and single game tickets for the upcoming season can be purchased here.
Like Lehigh Women's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
2019-20 Patriot League Women's Preseason Player of the Year
Lauren Manis, Holy Cross, Sr., F, Franklin, Mass./ Bishop Feehan
2019 Patriot League Women's Basketball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Ellie Mack, Bucknell, Sr., F, Paoli, Pa./Conestoga
Rachel Thompson, Colgate, Sr., G, St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute And St. Louis Country Day School
Lauren Manis, Holy Cross, Jr., F, Franklin, Mass./Bishop Feehan
Natalie Kucowski, Lafayette, Jr., F, Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy
Camryn Buhr, Lehigh, Sr., G, Mishawaka, Ind./Penn
Patriot League Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Lehigh – 140 (9 first-place votes)
Holy Cross – 138 (5 first-place votes)
Bucknell – 132 (4 first-place votes)
Boston University – 113
American – 103 (2 first-place votes)
Colgate – 78
Loyola Maryland – 74
Navy – 44
Lafayette – 42
Army West Point – 36
Voting for the preseason poll, the Player of the Year and five-member All-Patriot League team was completed by the Patriot League women's basketball coaches and sports information directors. They could not vote for their own team or student-athletes.
"Preseason polls are a reflection of the garnered respect others have for our program and should provide incentive for our team to bring their best each day," said head coach Sue Troyan. "As a program, we are focused on using each day and practice to better ourselves individually and collectively, so we are well prepared to compete in what will be a highly competitive league season with many strong contenders."
The Mountain Hawks return the bulk of the roster with 13 returnees and only two players lost, including four players in the starting lineup. Buhr, Patriot League All-Defensive team selection Hannah Hedstrom, Gena Grundhoffer and Cameryn Benz all return to the floor for their senior years. Hedstrom led the team with 3.2 assists per game and 1.7 steals per game in addition to 5.1 rebounds per game, ranking third on the team. Grundhoffer ranked third in scoring per game last year (9.0) and fifth in rebounds (3.9), and Benz averaged 7.6 points and 6.6 rebounds while averaging 23.3 minutes per game. Lehigh also brings in two freshmen from Minnesota, Anna Harvey and Frannie Hottinger, into the fold for the upcoming season.
Buhr was named a Preseason All-Patriot League selection for the upcoming season and it is well-deserved, based off her outstanding 2018-19 season in which she received First Team All-Patriot League honors for her efforts. Buhr led the Mountain Hawks with 12.9 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game while appearing in 30 contests. She is the closest player to reach the 1,000 point plateau, currently with 976 career points in three seasons. Once she reaches the milestone, Buhr will become just the eighth member of Lehigh's 1,000 point/500 rebound club.
"Cam is very deserving of being selected to the pre-season all-league team," said Troyan. "Throughout her career, she has been a consistent contributor on both ends of the floor as one of our strongest defenders and one of our most versatile offensive threats.
"The emergence of Cam as a leader for our program will play a critical role in her maturity as a player and our success as a program."
Troyan's 25th season as head coach opens up on Nov. 6 at Delaware State with the home opener set for Nov. 13 against George Washington for Education Day at 11 a.m. Season tickets and single game tickets for the upcoming season can be purchased here.
Like Lehigh Women's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
2019-20 Patriot League Women's Preseason Player of the Year
Lauren Manis, Holy Cross, Sr., F, Franklin, Mass./ Bishop Feehan
2019 Patriot League Women's Basketball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Ellie Mack, Bucknell, Sr., F, Paoli, Pa./Conestoga
Rachel Thompson, Colgate, Sr., G, St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute And St. Louis Country Day School
Lauren Manis, Holy Cross, Jr., F, Franklin, Mass./Bishop Feehan
Natalie Kucowski, Lafayette, Jr., F, Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy
Camryn Buhr, Lehigh, Sr., G, Mishawaka, Ind./Penn
Patriot League Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Lehigh – 140 (9 first-place votes)
Holy Cross – 138 (5 first-place votes)
Bucknell – 132 (4 first-place votes)
Boston University – 113
American – 103 (2 first-place votes)
Colgate – 78
Loyola Maryland – 74
Navy – 44
Lafayette – 42
Army West Point – 36
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