Latham, N.Y. – The Notre Dame of Maryland women's basketball team was ranked fifth in the United East Conference Preseason Poll, the conference announced this morning.

The Gators received 95 points; defending champions St. Mary's were picked to repeat, receiving 11 first-place votes and 142 total points.

Penn College and Penn State Abington each received one first-place vote and had 125 and 124 points, respectively. Cedar Crest was fourth with 107 points.

The Gators are coming off a 2025-26 season in which they went 12-12 overall and 8-5 in conference play, finishing sixth in the regular season.

The Gators return 11 players from last season's team, led by first-team all-conference selection Amani Watts.

NDMU opens the regular season this weekend against cross-town rivals No. 7 Johns Hopkins on Saturday afternoon.