Colonia, N.J. – The East Coast Conference (ECC) released the results of the 2026-2027 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll Monday morning. The Molloy women's basketball team was selected to finish eighth with a total of 30 points, as voted on by the coaches of the league.
Daemen was chosen as the favorite, collecting 79 points and seven first-place votes, followed closely by Mercy who tabbed 71 points and one first-place vote. Coming in at third was D'Youville with a total of 59 points and one first-place vote. UDC (45), Staten Island (43), and Queens (33) rounded out the predicted playoff picture in fourth through sixth, respectively. St. Thomas Aquinas (32), Molloy, and Roberts Wesleyan (13) completed the nine-team poll.
Molloy went 13-17 overall and 10-6 in East Coast Conference play in 2025-26, earning the third seed in the East Coast Conference Tournament. Following a home victory over UDC in the first round, the Lions fell to second-seeded Mercy, the eventual runner-up, in the semifinals.
The cardinal and white will look to revamp after graduating their top three scorers from last season: Leading scorer
Colleen McCullagh (19.3 points, 7.7 rebounds per game),
Sophia Yearwood (14.3 points per game, 45 percent from the field), and
Rosa Rizzitelli (11.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game).
The squad returns nine this season, led by sophomore
Sharmeela Ugbogbo who put together a standout freshman campaign. The Bronx, N.Y. native averaged 6.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game in 29 contests a season ago. The center ranked 31
st in defensive rebounds per game, 37
th in rebounds, 40
th in blocks per game, 41
st in total blocks, and 43
rd in total rebounds. Joining the nine returners are incoming freshmen
Katiana Clyne (Bergtraum),
Olivia Schnurer (Holy Cross), and
Leah Williams (Baldwin).
The campaign begins with an exhibition at Stony Brook Monday, November 2 before the regular season starts at home Monday, November 9 against Pace at 6:00 p.m.. After five games away from Bob Houlihan Court, the Lions will begin ECC play Thursday, December 3 against Roberts Wesleyan. The East Coast Conference Tournament is slated to begin on Wednesday, March 3.
