EAST STROUDSBURG – The East Stroudsburg University women’s basketball team was selected to finish eight in the annual PSAC East Coaches Poll, the conference announce on Thursday. 

In 2021-22, the Warriors went 4-19 overall and 3-19 in the conference but return eight players who recorded a start as well as 10 of its 15 members from last year’s team. 

ESU returns their top player from a season ago in guard Ryan Weise as the graduate student led the team in points, assists, steals and free throws made. A two-time PSAC East Athlete of the Week, Weise recorded the program’s first triple-double since 1993 with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a win against Shippensburg on Jan. 29.

The Warriors also welcome back junior Carley Adams and sophomore Izzy Vogel, who both started all 25 games. Adams averaged 4.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while Vogel notched 7.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists per contest. 

The Warriors added a pair of Division I transfers in Shyla Sanford (Latham, N.Y. / Shaker (LIU) and Cassidy Saylor (Easton, Pa. / Bethlehem Catholic (Wagner) as well as a trio of freshman in Adrine Demirciyan (Greenport, N.Y. / Greenport), Caitlin Martin (Lynbrook, N.Y. / Kellenberg Memorial) and Lily Sugra (Millersville, Pa. / Penn Manor). 

Defending Eastern Division champion Kuztown was picked to repeat, garnering eight of the nine first-place votes while Shippensburg was in second and Bloomsburg in third. West Chester took fourth and Lock Haven was fifth as the Bald Eagles earned a first-place vote. Millersville (6th), Mansfield (7th), the Warriors (8th) and Shepherd rounded out the poll. 

ESU opens the season at the Millersville Challenge with games against Virginia Union on Nov. 12 at 4 p.m., followed by a contest with Shaw on Nov. 13 at 1 p.m.