Central Islip, N.Y. - The Dowling College women's basketball team has been selected preseason favorite for the 2009-10 season as voted on by the league's head coaches. The Golden Lions' graduate guard Christie Marrone has been named the Preseason Player of the Year.
The Golden Lions accumulated 57 total points and four first-place votes to claim the top spot on this year's poll. Under the direction of Head Coach Joe Pellicane, Dowling finished 22-8 overall with a 14-4 mark in conference play last year while holding a perfect 12-0 record in front of their home crowd. They earned the No. 2 seed in the ECC tournament and advanced to the Finals where they fell to top-seed Queens College.
Molloy received two first-place votes while tallying 49 points to earn the No.2 spot on the poll. Molloy finished the 2009 season with a 21-7 record, going 14-4 against conference opponents. Queens, the defending ECC Champions, fill in at No. 3 with 46 points and a first place vote while Bridgeport claimed the final first-place vote and finished fifth in the poll.
Marrone was the difference maker on the Golden Lions' squad last season. The newcomer ranked second in the conference in three-point percentage (.380) and three-pointers made (70) while coming in third with a 1.26 assist -to-turnover ratio. Marrone was named to the All-Conference First Team and garnered All-Met First Team honors.
2009-10
Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
| Team | Pts. | Last Year's Record |
| 1. Dowling (4) | 57 | 22-8, 14-4 ECC |
| 2. Molloy (2) | 49 | 21-7, 14-4 ECC |
| 3. Queens (1) | 46 | 24-7, 15-3 ECC |
| 4. C.W. Post | 45 | 13-14, 10-8 ECC |
| 5. Bridgeport (1) | 39 | 12-16, 11-7 ECC |
| 6. St. Thomas Aquinas | 26 | 7-21, 4-14 ECC |
| 7. Mercy | 14 | 10-18, 7-11 ECC |
| 8. NYIT | 12 | 4-23, 3-15 ECC |
| () - First Place votes |
Preseason Player of the Year: Christie Marrone, Gr., G, Dowling
