SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Susquehanna University women’s basketball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Commonwealth Conference during the 2001-02 season, as voted on by the conference’s eight head coaches.

The Crusaders return two starters to a squad that finished third in the league in 2000-01 with an 8-6 Commonwealth record and 16-9 overall.

Defending Commonwealth Conference champion, 2000-01 Division III runner-up and D3hoops.com preseason number-one Messiah earned seven of eight first-place votes in balloting by the coaches, followed by Juniata, Susquehanna, Lebanon Valley, Moravian, Elizabethtown, Widener and Albright.

The Crusaders open the 2001-02 season at Houts Gymnasium on Friday, November 16 at 8 p.m. against Massachusetts-Dartmouth in the first round of the Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip Off Tournament.