BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Patriot League announced the results of its preseason polling on Wednesday and the Navy women's basketball program was represented with Zanai Barnett-Gay on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team.

The conference's most recent Rookie of the Year and a member of the All-Patriot League First Team, Barnett-Gay earned her spot on this year's five-person preseason all-league team in recognition of a spectacular collegiate debut in 2023-24. The Mids' starting shooting guard throughout the season, Barnett-Gay was strong from start-to-finish as she opened her collegiate career with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five steals. From that point on, she scored in double-digits in all 30 games, including 12 contests with 20 or more points. By the end of the 2023-24 season, Barnett-Gay had shattered Navy's program record for freshman scoring with 546 points (18.2 points per game) and ranked second all-time for single-season scoring in team history.  Nationally, the Glenn Dale, Maryland native finished 54th among all NCAA D-I scorers and fifth in the freshmen-only category behind JuJu Watkins of USC (27.1 ppg), Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame (22.6 ppg), Raegan McCowan of Western Illinois (19.4 ppg) and Audi Crooks of Iowa State (19.2 ppg). With a final statline of 18.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game, Barnett-Gay was selected as the 2023-24 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, the program's first such award since 2011 and sixth all-time. 

For her all-around game, Barnett-Gay became the first-ever Navy freshman player to garner an All-Patriot League First Team spot and first in Patriot League history since 2012-13. Besides leading the conference in steals (12th nationally), she finished the year ranked second in scoring average, seventh in assists and eighth in rebounds over 34.6 minutes per game (third in PL). Barnett-Gay's consistency was rewarded with a conference-high seven Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors, including a pair of combined sweeps of the Player and Rookie of the Week awards. Her seven honors set a new Navy single-season program record and ranked second all-time in the history of the Patriot League.

Additional postseason honors, included spots on the conference's All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams, as well as recognition from the ECAC as the organization's Rookie of the Year and member of the All-ECAC First Team.

Voting for the Patriot League women's basketball preseason All-League team was conducted by league head coaches and sports information directors. Neither group was permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.

As a program, Navy improved its win-total by 13 last season and have eyes on improving even more this upcoming 2024-25 season as all five starters from a year ago return. The Mids went 7-3 down the stretch in Patriot League play and finished one win out of second place and two out of first in a tightly-contested top of the league leaderboard. The 2024-25 season kicks off for Navy in less than three weeks, as the Mids will hit the road for a contest at Rider University on Monday, Nov. 4. Navy's home opener is set for two days later on Nov. 6 versus Bryn Athyn.

2024-25 Patriot League Women's Preseason Player of the Year
Lex Therien, Loyola Maryland, Sr., F
2023-24 Stats: 31 GP, 15.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.2 bpg, 1.45 spg, .554 FG%

2024-25 Patriot League Women's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Ashley Sofilkanich, Bucknell, So., F
2023-24 Stats: 31 GP, 12.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.9 bpg, 1.0 spg, .451 FG%

2024-25 Patriot League Women's Basketball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Zanai Barnett-Gay - Navy, So., G
Alex Giannaros - Boston University, Sr., G
Taylor Golembiewski - Colgate, Sr., G
Ashley Sofilkanich - Bucknell, So., F
Lex Therien - Loyola, Sr., F