University of Massachusets Athletics
Kate Mills Named Preseason Second Team All-Conference
October 25, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Oct. 25, 2007
AMHERST, Mass. - The Atlantic 10 Conference released its preseason women's basketball poll of coaches and select media on Thursday afternoon. UMass senior forward Kate Mills (Elkton, Md.) was named to the All-Conference second team. The Minutewomen were picked to finish seventh in the 14-team conference. George Washington, the 2006-07 A-10 champ, was unanimously picked to repeat.
Mills, a third team All-A-10 selection at the conclusion of last season, was UMass' leading scorer a season ago, averaging 16.1 points per game. She also led the club in field goal percentage (.538), free throw percentage (.819), and blocks (64). She finished second on the team in minutes (1004) and rebounds (6.9 per game). Her field goal percentage was also tops in the A-10, while her blocks total was good for second in the conference. In all, Mills finished in the top 15 in the conference in seven individual statistical categories. She recorded her 1000th career point, becoming the 16th player in school history to do so, on March 2 versus St. Bonaventure.
The predicted order of finish portion of the poll followed very closely the final standings from 2006-07. The Minutewomen were picked to finish seventh. Last season they finished tied for sixth after going 7-7 in conference play and 17-13 overall. It was their highest win total since the 1997-98 season.
George Washington was the unanimous pick to repeat as champion. Xavier and Charlotte tied in votes for second. They finished third and fourth, respectively, last season. Temple was predicted to drop from second to fourth place while Saint Joseph's slipped from fifth to sixth. Richmond was picked to move up from a three-way tie with UMass and La Salle in 2006-07 to fifth this season.
Marnie Dacko's club makes their 2007-08 debut next Friday, Nov. 2 when they take on Athletes In Action in an exhibition game. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Curry Hicks Cage. The regular season begins at home on Friday Nov. 9 versus Vermont. Game-time is 7 p.m. at the Mullins Center.
Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
Predicted Order of Finish
1. George Washington
2T. Charlotte
2T. Xavier
4. Temple
5. Richmond
6. Saint Joseph's
7. Massachusetts
8. Dayton
9. Saint Louis
10. La Salle
11. St. Bonaventure
12. Rhode Island
13. Duquesne
14. Fordham