Defending the Throne: Daemen Picked to Repeat in ECC Women’s Basketball while Pikett wins Preseason Player of the Year

COLONIA, N.J. – The Daemen Wildcats enter the 2025-26 season as the unanimous favorite to capture yet another East Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Championship, topping the annual ECC Preseason Poll with all nine first-place votes. Adding to the preseason spotlight, senior standout Claire Pikett was selected as the ECC Preseason Player of the Year, cementing Daemen’s position as the team to beat. Pikett returns as the centerpiece of Daemen’s veteran lineup after a stellar 2024-25 campaign that earned her First Team All-ECC honors. The Holland, N.Y. native filled up the stat sheet last season, averaging 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game, all while maintaining an efficient .375/.341/.740 shooting split. A proven two-way force, Pikett embodies the Wildcats’ gritty defensive identity and poised offensive execution, traits that have defined the program’s dominance. That dominance continued last season as Daemen posted a 22-8 overall record, including 15-1 in ECC play, en route to their fourth consecutive ECC Championship. The Wildcats then carried their success into the NCAA Tournament, defeating Jefferson in the Regional Quarterfinals. Defense was once again the backbone of their title run, as Daemen led the ECC in nearly every major category, allowing just 55.9 points per game and holding opponents to a .353 field goal percentage. With their championship core intact, the Wildcats enter the new season chasing an historic fifth straight crown. But repeating will be no easy task. The Mercy Mavericks sit close behind in the preseason rankings, landing in second with 72 points after an impressive 18-10 (11-5 ECC) campaign last year. Mercy showcased one of the most efficient offenses in the conference, topping the ECC in field goal percentage (.425) while holding opponents to the lowest three-point shooting clip (.258). Their stingy defense on the glass also limited teams to just 34.8 rebounds per game. After falling in a heartbreaking overtime loss in last year’s ECC Semifinal, the Mavericks enter 2025–26 hungry for redemption. Staten Island rounds out the top three with 51 points, fresh off a season that saw the Dolphins go 21-9 and advance to the ECC Championship game. Staten Island was an offensive powerhouse in 2024–25, leading the conference in both scoring (64.3 points per game) and assists (15.5 per game). With experience and firepower returning, the Dolphins are primed to remain a threat in the title race. The middle of the pack features several teams capable of breaking through. D’Youville sits fourth with 49 points, followed by St. Thomas Aquinas (41), District of Columbia (37), and Molloy (36). Queens (21) and Roberts Wesleyan (17) round out the poll, both looking to climb the standings with emerging talent and new energy entering the season. 2025-26 ECC Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll 1. Daemen - 81 points (9 first-place votes) 2. Mercy - 72 points  3. Staten Island - 51 points  4. D'Youville - 49 points 5. St. Thomas Aquinas - 41 points 6. District of Columbia - 37 points 7. Molloy - 36 points 8. Queens - 21 points 9. Roberts Wesleyan - 17 points
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