PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University women's basketball team has been voted third in the 2026-2027 Skyline Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference unveiled earlier today.

The Valiants come off a 21-6 record last season, making the Skyline Championship Finals for the third time in the last four years. Manhattanville secured the No. 1 seed after ending the regular season atop the conference standings, going 18-2 against the Skyline. The Valiants rolled past Farmingdale 81-58 in the semifinals before falling 63-59 to Merchant Marine in the championship tilt.

Manhattanville has consistently been amongst the top teams in the Skyline with 20-plus wins in four of the last six seasons, but are looking to finally capture that elusive conference crown for the first time since 1982. In order to do so, the team will turn to a bunch of new faces after graduating its four top scorers from last year. Esther Ramos (Queens, N.Y./Forest Hills), Julie DeBrocky (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac), Gabby Tucker (Port Chester, N.Y./Blind Brook) and Amanda Orlando (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) all played pivotal roles that will now need to be filled by a roster featuring nine new additions.

Kathleen O'Mara (Huntington, N.Y./Walt Whitman) is the Valiants' leading returner, averaging 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in her 24 games a year ago. Madison Carlo (Carmel, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) and Kaitlyn Mangan (New Fairfield, Conn./New Fairfield), two of Manhattanville's first options off the bench last season, figure to see their roles significantly increase entering their junior seasons.

In addition to Maia Velazquez (Queens, N.Y./Christ the King), Charlotte March (Tappan, N.Y./Tappan Zee High School) and Taylor Malone (Yonkers, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic Prep) rounding out the returners, the Valiants brought in three transfers in Nala Louis (Long Island, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial), Katie Purpura () and Jaylyn Orefice (Union City, N.J./Jose Marti STEM Academy). All three played last season at Division II and look to guide a new core that welcomes six freshmen to Kennedy Gymnasium.

Reigning Skyline champions Merchant Marine were tabbed atop the poll, receiving 100 total points and all ten first place votes available from the coaching staffs. Mount Saint Mary, recipient of the other first-place vote, finished second with 91 points. Manhattanville's 84 points place the Valiants firmly in third, with Saint Joseph's Long Island (68) and Farmingdale (67) rounding out the top five.

The Valiants open the season on Monday, hosting the University of Saint Joseph at 6 p.m.

The full results of the Skyline Preseason Poll is below:

2026-27 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Rank, School, Pts. (First-Place Votes)
1. Merchant Marine, 100 (10)
2. Mount Saint Mary, 91 (1)    
3. Manhattanville, 84    
4. St. Joseph's-Long Island, 68    
5. Farmingdale State, 67    
6. Sarah Lawrence, 47    
7. Mount Saint Vincent, 41    
T8. Purchase, 40    
T8. St. Joseph's-Brooklyn, 40    
10. Yeshiva, 18    
11. Old Westbury, 9

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