SELINSGROVE , PA – The Susquehanna University women's basketball team has been picked to finish third in the Commonwealth Conference preseason poll, as voted upon by the league's eight head coaches and released Wednesday.

The Crusaders return all five starters and 11 letterwinners from last year's squad, which finished 14-12 overall and fourth in the Commonwealth Conference with a 6-8 record for head coach Jim Reed, who begins his second season at Susquehanna and sixth overall.

Defending champion Messiah received six of eight first-place votes and earned the top spot in the preseason poll with 56 points, followed by Moravian (52 points, 2 first-place votes), Susquehanna (42 points), Albright (36 points), Lebanon Valley (28 points), Juniata (27 points), Widener (23 points) and Elizabethtown (16 points).

The Crusaders open their 2006-07 season on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. hosting Randolph-Macon Woman's College in the opening round of the Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament at O.W. Houts Gymnasium.