Spiders Picked Eighth in A-10 Preseason Poll, Budnik Named First Team All-Conference

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its 2022-23 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll and Awards Tuesday morning ahead of media day, and the Spiders were picked eighth in the poll while junior Addie Budnik was named Preseason All-Conference First Team.

The Spiders, who finished eighth in the conference last season with a 7-9 mark in league play, received 125 points in the voting process from the A-10's head coaches. UMass was the unanimous favorite with all 15 first-place votes and 225 points. La Salle was picked second with 188 points, and Rhode Island rounded out the top three with 184 points.

This is Richmond's fifth-straight season with a preseason all-conference accolade, but Budnik is the first all-conference first team pick since Janelle Hubbard in 2016.

Budnik is Richmond's leading returner in scoring, rebounds, 3-pointers, blocks, and minutes played. She posted double-digits in 23 of 30 games last season, including nine in-a-row from Nov. 18 to Dec. 19. She led Richmond with 19 points against Davidson in the second round of the A-10 Tournament. Budnik opened the season with her first-career double-double on 16 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against Charlotte. She notched six 20+ point games including a tied career-high 23 against UMBC. She put up a career-high seven blocks in back-to-back games early in the season, and she ended the regular season by scoring the game-winning basket in the last second against VCU for a comeback victory where the Spiders erased a 17-point deficit.

Her team-high 77 blocks last year are second-most in a single season in Richmond's program history.

Budnik along with head coach Aaron Roussell and junior Grace Townsend will join A-10 Media Day today live on ESPN+ at 12:45 p.m. Watch here.

The Spiders open the 2022-23 campaign at Liberty Nov. 7, and will host Mount St. Mary's in their home opener at the Robins Center Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.

2022-23 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll

Massachusetts (15) ....................................... 225
La Salle ..........................................................188
Rhode Island ..................................................184
Fordham .........................................................183
VCU ................................................................152
Saint Joseph's ................................................140
Davidson ........................................................135
Richmond .......................................................125
Duquesne .......................................................109
Dayton .............................................................99
George Washington..........................................82
Saint Louis .......................................................73
Loyola Chicago ................................................41
George Mason..................................................38
St. Bonaventure ...............................................26

--UR--

Calendar

Upcoming Events