NEW HAVEN, Conn. (October 6, 2010) – The Holy Family University women’s basketball team and the Philadelphia University men’s team are both nationally ranked according to the Division II Bulletin Preseason Men’s and Women’s Top 25 polls. Holy Family stands fourth, while the Rams are 23^rd. Furthermore, the Felician College men’s team is listed as a “Team to Watch.”

 Holy Family had the most successful season in the history of Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Division II basketball, advancing to the championship game of the East Region Tournament. The Tigers fell in that game to Franklin Pierce University in overtime, 82-79. The Ravens were ranked second in the country at the time. The Tigers finished the season ranked 13^th nationally with a 30-3 overall record. Returning to lead the Tigers will be senior forward Catherine Carr. Carr is a three-time All-CACC selection and was a first team pick the last two seasons. Carr, who hails from Bernardsville, NJ, was a State Farm Honorable Mention All-American last season, a second team Daktronics All-America selection and a Daktronics first team All-Region honoree. For the season, she averaged 17.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.33 assists and 1.5 steals per-game while shooting 74-percent from the free-throw line. Carr was the CACC Player of the Year as a sophomore and the Rookie of the Year in 2007-08.

Sophomore center Erin Mann is also back after a solid freshman campaign last season. Mann contributed 11 points and five rebounds in the regional championship and checked in with averages of 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per-game and shot 47-percent from the floor for the season.  Also returning is junior point guard Lauren Peters, who averaged 8.0 ppg. last season.

Two other teams from the East Region are included in the preseason poll in No. 10 Bentley University and No. 21 Pace University. Holy Family will host Bentley in the season opener for both teams on Monday, Nov. 15 at 6:00 pm.

Philadelphia advanced further in the NCAA Tournament last season than any men’s team in conference history, falling in the East Region championship to Bentley University. The Rams finished the season with a 27-8 overall record and went 16-1 in conference play. Philadelphia also provided one of the most exciting storylines of the season, as head coach Herb Magee broke the NCAA all-time record for wins, surpassing the legendary Bobby Knight on Feb. 3 with his 903rd victory.  

Coach Magee's 2009-10 team won more games than any other PhilaU men's squad in the past 16 years. The Rams lost four starters from that team, but return sophomore guard Jim Connolly and junior forwards J.J. Gundry and Corey Francisco. Connolly was named to the NCAA All-East Region team last season after pouring in 28 points in a victory over Saint Anselm and adding ten points against Bentley. The team starts off the new season with three exhibition games vs. NCAA Division I opponents, beginning with a trip to Boston College on Nov. 6.

Two other teams from the region are also ranked in No. 7 Bentley and No. 17 Merrimack College.

Felician College was named a “Team to Watch” after winning the CACC Tournament championship last season and making its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Golden Falcons return four starters from a team that broke the school record for victories (24-7). Among the returnees are all-conference selections Devon Young, a senior swingman, and junior guard Antoine Obery. Young was the MVP of the CACC Tournament last season.