LANCASTER, Pa. – Johns Hopkins edged Gettysburg for top billing in the Centennial Conference women's basketball preseason poll. The Blue Jays secured seven first-place votes and 97 points to earn the distinction of preseason favorite in a vote among conference head coaches.
Gettysburg, which enters the year as the three-time defending champion, picked up the other four first-place votes and tallied 94 points to finish second in the poll. Dickinson was projected to take third with 81 points, while Ursinus (66) and Swarthmore (59) were picked fourth and fifth, respectively. Muhlenberg and Washington College finished in a tie for sixth with 50 points apiece. Haverford (39), McDaniel (34), Franklin & Marshall (25) and Bryn Mawr (10) rounded out the voting.
The 2024-25 season tips off this weekend. Conference play will commence on Wednesday, Dec. 4, with the six-team CC postseason slated for Feb. 25, 28 and March 2.
2024-25 Centennial Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
| Rank | Institution (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Johns Hopkins (7) |
97 |
| 2. Gettysburg (4) |
94 |
| 3. Dickinson |
81 |
| 4. Ursinus |
66 |
| 5. Swarthmore |
59 |
| 6T. Muhlenberg |
50 |
| 6T. Washington College |
50 |
| 8. Haverford |
39 |
| 9. McDaniel |
34 |
| 10. Franklin & Marshall |
25 |
| 11. Bryn Mawr |
10 |
2024-25 Schedule | 2023-24 Championship Results | 2023-24 All-Centennial Team | D3hoops.com Preseason Poll | WBCA Preseason Poll
Gettysburg made it three straight Centennial titles last winter, becoming just the second program in conference history to three-peat as champions. The only previous time that feat occurred was from Muhlenberg in 2015-17.
While the Bullets took home the highly-coveted CC hardware with their second straight win at Johns Hopkins, it was Hopkins that achieved more success in the NCAA postseason. The Blue Jays downed Marietta and fourth-ranked and defending national runner-up Christopher Newport to advance to the Sweet 16 before falling to Scranton. The Sweet 16 appearance was the first for JHU since 1998 and marked the first time a CC team had reached the third round since 2011. The win in Newport News ended CNU's home winning streak at 54 games, snapping the longest active streak in Division III and second-longest across all divisions.
Last year was the sixth year in a row and 16th overall that multiple CC teams qualified for the national tournament.
Hopkins is ranked sixth in both the WBCA and D3hoops.com preseason national rankings, while Gettysburg is ranked 15th by D3hoops and 19th by the WBCA.
A wealth of talent is back in the Centennial this winter, with two All-Americans, five All-Region performers and 12 players with All-Centennial accolades to their name. The Gettysburg duo of guards Alayna Arnolie and Mackenzie Szlosek headline the list of returners. Arnolie was a WBCA All-America honorable mention selection and the CC Player of the Year last season, while Szlosek was a WBCA All-America honorable mention pick and the CC Player of the Year during the 2022-23 campaign. Arnolie was the lone first team All-Region honoree in the CC from a season ago, while Szlosek, Dickinson guard/forward Clair Marion, JHU forward Greta Miller, and Ursinus forward Chinwe Irondi were all second team All-Region recipients.
Six CC teams have at least one All-CC performer back on the hardwood this winter. See the full list of returning players with honors below.
Returning All-Americans (2)
Alayna Arnolie, Gettysburg, Jr., G (2023-24 WBCA Honorable Mention)
Mackenzie Szlosek, Gettysburg, Sr., G (2022-23 WBCA Honorable Mention)
Returning All-Region (5)
Clair Marion, Dickinson, Sr., F (2023-24 D3hoops.com Second Team)
Alayna Arnolie, Gettysburg, Jr., G (2023-24 D3hoops.com First Team)
Mackenzie Szlosek, Gettysburg, Sr., G (2023-24 D3hoops.com Second Team, 2022-23 D3hoops.com First Team)
Greta Miller, Johns Hopkins, Sr., F (2023-24 D3hoops.com Second Team)
Chinwe Irondi, Ursinus, Sr., F (2023-24 D3hoops.com Second Team)
Returning All-Centennial (12)
Clair Marion, Dickinson, Sr., G/F (2023-24 First Team, 2022-23 First Team)
Caitlin Blackman, Dickinson, Sr., PG (2023-24 Honorable Mention)
Mackenzie Szlosek, Gettysburg, Sr., G (2023-24 First Team, 2022-23 First Team & Player OTY, 2021-22 Honorable Mention)
Alayna Arnolie, Gettysburg, Jr., G (2023-24 First Team & Player OTY, 2022-23 Second Team & Rookie OTY)
Greta Miller, Johns Hopkins, Sr., F (2023-24 First Team)
Michaela O'Neil, Johns Hopkins, Sr., F (2023-24 Second Team, 2022-23 Second Team)
Elisabeth Peebles, Johns Hopkins, Jr., G (2023-24 Second Team)
Jadyn Murray, Johns Hopkins, Sr., C (2023-24 Honorable Mention)
Macie Feldman, Johns Hopkins, Jr., G (2023-24 Honorable Mention)
Elaina Beckett, McDaniel, Jr., F (2023-24 Second Team, 2022-23 Second Team)
Ava Connolly, Muhlenberg, Sr., G (2023-24 Honorable Mention)
Chinwe Irondi, Ursinus, Sr., F (2023-24 First Team, 2022-23 First Team, 2021-22 First Team & Rookie of the Year)
