CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Loras College women's basketball team was picked to finish second in the 2023-24 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) preseason coaches' poll, as released by the conference office Tuesday afternoon.

The Wartburg College Knights earned the top spot in the poll with 64 total points and eight first-place votes. The Duhawks checked into second place with 54 points and one first-place vote, while Simpson College secured the third spot with 50 points.

The Kohawks from Coe College and the Spartans of crosstown rival, University of Dubuque, sit in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

During their 2022-23 campaign, the Duhawks finished with an overall record of 24-5, which included a 14-2 mark in conference play. They clinched an NCAA tournament berth with a 72-61 victory over top-seeded Wartburg in the A-R-C tournament championship game but ended their season in the round of 32 with a 60-54 loss to #14 Trine University.

 Four starters from last season will return to Lillis Court in November. Senior forward Sami Martin is a key returner for Loras. Last year, Martin was named to the first-team all-conference squad, as well as a D3hoops.com Second Team All-Region pick and a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American. She led the team in points per game with 15.6 and pulled down a team-high 231 rebounds.

Junior guard Daniella Jarrell and fifth year guard Madison Fleckenstein also return to the Duhawks lineup this coming season. Both were second-team all-conference selections last year. Fleckenstein led the team in blocks with 17 in total, while Jarrell ranked second on the team in assists, dishing out 59 altogether.

Rounding out the returning starters for Loras is fifth year forward Madison Haslow, who shot 97 percent (32-of-33) from the free throw line last season.

The Duhawks open their 2023-24 campaign inside the Lillis Athletic and Wellness Center against Edgewood College, as a part of the Mike Molstead Motors Tip Off Classic, on Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m.