BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With 160 points and 16 first-place votes the 2023-24 Patriot League Women's Basketball Champions, the Holy Cross Crusaders, were selected as the 2023-24 Patriot League women's basketball preseason favorite when the honors were announced on Thursday morning.
Boston University was second in the preseason poll with 141 points and two first-place votes, followed by Colgate with 121 points. Lehigh received 111 points, followed by American, which garnered 90 points and two first-place votes. Bucknell nabbed 79 points for sixth, followed by Army West Point (69). Lafayette (60), Loyola Maryland (40) and Navy round out the poll with 29 points.
The reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, BU senior forward Caitlin Weimar was named both the preseason player and defensive player of the year. Weimar also earned a spot on the five-member preseason All-League team after being named to last year's All-League first team.
Joining Weimar on the preseason team are American senior forward Emily Johns, Colgate junior guard Taylor Golembiewski, Holy Cross senior guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy, and Loyola Maryland junior forward Lex Therien. Johns, Golembiewski, Power-Cassidy and Therien were all 2022-23 second-team recipients.
Power-Cassidy earned 2022-23 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball Championship MVP honors and a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Voting for the Patriot League women's basketball preseason poll, player of the year and All-League team was conducted by League head coaches and sports information directors. Neither group was permitted to vote for their team or student-athletes.
2023-24 Patriot League Women's Preseason Player and Defensive Player of the Year
Caitlin Weimar, Boston University, Sr., F, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson
* Weimar enters the 2023-24 season averaging a team-leading 15.5 points and 10 boards per game after guiding the Terriers to a 17-1 League mark last season.
* Her 15.5 points per game was good for third in the Patriot League last year, while she paced the League in field goal percentage (.597) and blocks per game (1.9).
* She became the second student-athlete in BU program history to average a double-double on the season.
* The 6-4 forward recorded 16 double-doubles in 2022-23, which was tied for 16th in Division I.
* Weimar was the Terriers' first Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year recipient and a three-time Patriot League Player of the Week honoree.
* Weimar comes into her senior year with 698 career points, 505 rebounds and 90 blocks.
2023-24 Patriot League Women's Basketball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Emily Johns, American, Sr., F, Washington Township/Washington Township, N.J.
2022-23 Stats: 30 GP, 12.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, .464 FG%, .789 FT%, 30 assists, 22 steals
* Career Honors: Second Team All-Patriot League (2023)
Caitlin Weimar, Boston University, Sr., F, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson
2022-23 Stats: 27 GP, 15.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, .597 FG%, .675 FT%, 45 assists, 21 steals, 51 blocks
* Career Honors: All-ECAC First Team (2023), Patriot League Championship All-Tournament Team (2023), First Team All-Patriot League (2023), Patriot League All-Defensive Team (2023), Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year (2023), Third Team All-Patriot League (2022)
Taylor Golembiewski, Colgate, Jr., G, Columbia, Conn./Edwin O. Smith
2022-23 Stats: 29 GP, 12.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, .401 FG%, .824 FT%, 65 assists, 16 blocks, 53 steals
* Career Honors: Second Team All-Patriot League (2023)
Bronagh Power-Cassidy, Holy Cross, Sr., G, Dublin, Ireland/Marianapolis Prep
2022-23 Stats: 33 GP, 13.6 ppg. 4.0 rpg, .458 FG%, .399 3PT%, .775 FT%, 52 assists, 25 blocks, 30 steals
* Career Honors: Patriot League Championship MVP (2023), Patriot League Championship All-Tournament Team (2023), Second Team All-Patriot League (2023), Academic All-Patriot League Team (2023), Patriot League Rookie of the Year (2021), Patriot League All-Rookie Team (2021)
Lex Therien, Loyola Maryland, Jr., F, Marlton, N.J./Cherokee
2022-23 Stats: 31 GP, 15.4 ppg, 11.1 rpg, .491 FG%, .667 FT%, 32 assists, 49 steals
* Career Honors: Second Team All-Patriot League (2023), Second Team All-Patriot League (2022), Patriot League Rookie of the Year (2022), Patriot League All-Rookie Team (2022)
2023-24 Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year: Caitlin Weimar, Boston University, Sr., F
2023-24 Women's Basketball Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Caitlin Weimar, Boston University, Sr., F
2023-24 Women's Basketball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Emily Johns, American, Sr., F
Caitlin Weimar, Boston University, Sr., F
Taylor Golembiewski, Colgate, Jr., G
Bronagh Power-Cassidy, Holy Cross, Sr., G
Lex Therien, Loyola Maryland, Jr., F
2023-24 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Holy Cross – 160 (16 first-place votes)
Boston University – 141 (2)
Colgate – 121
Lehigh – 111
American – 90 (2)
Bucknell – 79
Army West Point – 69
Lafayette – 60
Loyola Maryland – 40
Navy – 29
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.