LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced the results of its preseason women's basketball poll on Thursday, with the Golden Eagle women's basketball team predicted to finish ninth in the PSAC West by the league's coaches.
 
Clarion will be under the direction of a new head coach in 2022-23 as longtime assistant Jermaine Cooper takes over the reins of the program. He will be joined by former Golden Eagle point guard Yndiah Bobo, who played three seasons in the Blue & Gold from 2017-20.
 
The Golden Eagles are coming off a 5-22 season from a year ago, including a 4-18 mark in PSAC West action. The team returns six players that started 11 or more games a season ago, including Second Team All-PSAC West selection Sierra Bermudez. Bermudez led the Golden Eagles with a 14.2 points per game average a year ago, a number that ranked 11^th in the conference. Bermudez broke school records for points (44) and three-pointers made (12) in a single-game last year, doing so against Penn State – Shenango on Nov. 21. Her 44 points in that game was the third-highest single-game total for any player in the country last year, and her 12 three-pointers made was the most for any Division II player in a single game in 2021-22.
 
Other starters returning include Jada Smith, who averaged 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season, as well as Olivia Boocks (14 starts, 5.0 points per game) and Allyson Kirby (11 starts, 4.8 points, 3.6 rebounds per game).
 
Clarion opens on the road this year with games against Concord and Fairmont State, before returning for their home opener against Lake Erie on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The conference home opener is slated for Sunday, Dec. 18 against Millersville.
 
East (# of 1^st Place Votes)
1. Kutztown (8)
2. Shippensburg
3. Bloomsburg
4. West Chester
5. Lock Haven (1)
6. Millersville
7. Mansfield
8. East Stroudsburg
9. Shepherd
 
West
1. California (Pa.) (6)
2. Gannon (3)
3. Edinboro
4. IUP
5. Seton Hill
6. Pitt-Johnstown
7. Mercyhurst
8. Slippery Rock
9. Clarion