JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eastern Kentucky University's Alice Recanati has been tabbed to the Preseason All-ASUN Team for the second consecutive season and the Colonels were picked to finish 4th in the Preseason Coaches' Poll.  Both preseason accolades coming out of the league office from its headquarters on Thursday morning.
 
EKU finished No. 4 in the coaches' poll, receiving 92 votes, and No. 5 in the media poll, receiving 369 votes.  Thursday's poll marks the second straight season the Colonels have been picked to end up fourth in the conference.
 
Last season, EKU ended its historic run in the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) for this second time in program history.  The Colonels went 22-12 over the season, the team's first 20-win season since 2005 and first national postseason invitation since 2013.
 
EKU had two student-athletes named ASUN All-Conference after a run that ended in the conference semifinals for the first time as a member of the league.
 
Recanati, a fifth year point guard from Bergamo, Italy, has been named to the Preseason All-ASUN team for the second straight season.
 
Last year, Recanati was named Third Team All-ASUN after aiding in EKU's historic season, she ended the campaign averaging a career-best 10.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, including a career-high 28 points in a win over Northern Kentucky at home.  
 
Recanati also averaged 4.2 assists per game, totaling 144 on the season where she set the EKU program record in career assists (537), passing EKU Hall of Famer Angie Cox in the process.  She was one of 13 players in NCAA DI, including Iowa's Caitlin Clark, who had 1,000 point, 500 assists, and 400 rebounds in their career.
 
She will enter the 2024-25 season top 20 in program history in points (19th), made field goals (16th), made 3-pt field goals (16th), made free throws (12th), assists (1st), steals (9th), games played (2nd), and games started (2nd).  Recanati is also a member of the school's 1,000-point club, becoming the 26th player to do so since 1971.
 
The Colonels will begin the 2024-25 season on Nov. 4 against ESPN's Way-Too-Early No. 7 LSU at the famous Pete Maravich Assembly Center.  The contest is schedule to be aired on the SEC's family of networks.

2024-25 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. FGCU (12) 144
2. Central Arkansas 128
3. Lipscomb 110
4. EKU 92
5. Jacksonville 90
5. Austin Peay 90
7. Stetson 85
8. Bellarmine 61
9. North Florida 47
9. North Alabama 47
11. Queens 26
12. West Georgia 16

First-place votes in parentheses

2024-25 Women's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1. FGCU (45) 540
2. Central Arkansas 444
3. Lipscomb 429
4. Stetson 390
5. EKU 369
6. Austin Peay 309
7. North Alabama 282
8. Jacksonville 231
9. North Florida 177
10. Bellarmine 168
11. West Georgia 96
12. Queens 75

First-place votes in parentheses

2024-25 Women's Basketball Preseason All-ASUN Team
Emani Jefferson, FGCU^
Edyn Battle, Jacksonville^
Hayley Harrison, Bellarmine
Hope Sivori, Bellarmine
Kinley Fisher, Central Arkansas
Jade Upshaw, Central Arkansas
Randrea Wright, Central Arkansas
Alice Recanati, EKU
Dolly Cairns, FGCU
Claira McGowan, Lipscomb
Bella VInson, Lipscomb

^ - denotes a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-ASUN Team
Note - a tie in voting resulted in an 11-person Preseason All-ASUN Team