Women's Basketball Picked Second in Preseason NEC Poll; Lanpher Named Preseason All-NEC
On Tuesday, the Northeast Conference released its Preseason Coaches' Poll and Preseason All-NEC Team during its broadcast of Media Day for women's basketball. The Blue Devils were tabbed second in the preseason ledger, and Belle Lanpher was named to the Preseason All-NEC Team.
FULL RELEASE - NEC COACHES POLL
FULL RELEASE - PRESEASON ALL-NEC TEAM
FDU was the unanimous pick atop the poll, followed by the Blue Devils. Le Moyne, Stonehill and Saint Francis U rounded out the top five, while Wagner and LIU were followed by league newcomers, Chicago State and Mercyhurst to round out the poll.
Lanpher is a repeat Preseason All-NEC pick, while being the only returning NEC hoopster to have a pair of All-NEC awards to her name, having collected back-to-back second team selections in 2023 and 2024. Lanpher became the 18th player in program history to reach the 1,000 career point plateau and she is currently #2 all-time with a .838 free throw shooting percentage.
Head coach Way Veney is entering her second season in charge of the Blue Devils. In 2024-25, Central Connecticut will have several necessary pieces in place to make a run for the program's first-ever banner-raising campaign. Lanpher and fellow grad student Meghan Kenefick have combined to play 109 games against NEC opponents and return to provide a healthy dose of experience to the lineup. The Blue Devils' punch goes beyond that experienced duo, however, as guard Amaya Williams and forward Alonna Sellers elevated their scoring during league play, contributing 7.1 and 8.7 points per game, respectively, to an efficient Central Connecticut offense that led the NEC in assist-to-turnover ratio in 2023-24.
All told, the Blue Devils return four starters and six letterwinners from a roster that improved by four league wins last season. Lanpher (12.6 ppg) and Kenefick (8.3 ppg) were second and third on the team in scoring, while Sellers added 7.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in her first season in New Britain. Williams contributed 6.7 points and 1.8 assists per game.
Central tips off the season on Monday, Nov. 4, at Minnesota
2024-25 NEC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. FDU (unanimous)
2. CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
3. Le Moyne
4. Stonehill
5. Saint Francis U
6. Wagner
7. LIU
8t. Chicago St.
8t. Mercyhurst
2024-25 Preseason All-NEC Women's Basketball Team
Teneisia Brown, FDU, Montego Bay, Jamaica/Mount Vernon/St. Andrew's (Merrimack)
Abby Conklin, FDU, Irvington, NY/Irvington
Belle Lanpher, CCSU, Princeton, MA/Wachusett Regional
Taleah Washington, Wagner, District Heights, MD/Forestville & Rock Creek (Old Dominion)
Staci Williams, FDU, Holly Springs, SC/Holly Springs
