Providence College women’s basketball head coach Erin Batth on being picked third in the Big East Preseason Poll: “I am blown away.”@ABC6 #PCBB #GoFriars @NCoitABC6 pic.twitter.com/fGNrq8dAkM — Ian Steele (@RealianSteele6) October 23, 2024 Providence College Press Release NEW YORK, N.Y. – Providence College women’s basketball student-athletes Olivia Olsen and Grace Efosa were named to the 2024-25 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team today [Oct. 23] at the league’s annual media day at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Providence College is one of three teams with multiple honorees on the preseason team, joining Connecticut (four) and Creighton (two). Additionally, the Friars were picked to finish third as a team in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Olsen earned All-BIG EAST Second-Team honors at the conclusion of the 2023-24 campaign. In 32 games last year, she averaged a team-best 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots per game and shot 52.6-percent from the field. The forward recorded double-digits in the scoring column a team-best 27 times, including 15 of 18 BIG EAST regular-season games. Olsen recorded 12 double-doubles on the year, which ranked second among BIG EAST Conference players. She also became the second player in program history to record 50+ blocked shots in multiple seasons, recording 53 blocks in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Her 53 rejections are tied for the third-highest single-season total in program history. Efosa played 23 games during the 2023-24 campaign, having missed 11 contests early in the year due to injury. She finished the season ranked second on the team in scoring (12.7 ppg) and rebounding (5.5 rpg) and added 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Efosa posted 17 double-digit scoring games and recorded 20-or-more points on three occasions. She dropped a career-high 29 points in a victory over Villanova (Jan. 24), including 21 in the second half and overtime to help the Friars overcome a 15-point halftime deficit. Efosa helped propel Providence to a BIG EAST Tournament First-Round victory over Butler with 13 points and recorded 23 points and eight rebounds vs. top-seeded and eventual champion Connecticut in the quarterfinals. She became the first Friar since 1993 to earn a spot on the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team. Connecticut was picked to win the league after compiling 100 points and 10 first-place votes. Creighton was picked second with 91 points and one first-place vote, followed by the Friars in third (71 points). St. John’s (67 points) and Georgetown (66 points) round out the top-five teams in the preseason poll. The Friars are set to host Southern Connecticut State University in an exhibition game on Tuesday, Oct. 29 before officially opening the season against Mercy University on Monday, Nov. 4. Both contests will be played at Alumni Hall / Mullaney Gymnasium in Providence, R.I. For tickets, please click the following link: 2024-25 Providence College Women’s Basketball Tickets A complete list of BIG EAST preseason honorees is below, in addition to the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll. BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year – Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Sr., G BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year – Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Preseason All-BIG EAST Team Caroline Strande, Butler, Gr., G KK Arnold, UConn, So., G Azzi Fudd, UConn, R-Jr., G Ashlynn Shade, UConn, So., G Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Sr., G Morgan Maly, Creighton, Sr., G/F Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Gr., G Olivia Olsen, Providence, Sr., F Grace Efosa, Providence, Gr., G Ber’Nyah Mayo, St. John’s, R-Sr., G Honorable Mention Kaitlyn Chen, UConn, Gr., G Jorie Allen, DePaul, Gr., F Savannah Catalon, Seton Hall, So., G BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll UConn – 100 (10 first-place votes) Creighton – 91 (1) Providence – 71 St. John’s – 67 Georgetown – 66 Villanova – 56 Seton Hall – 51 Butler – 46 DePaul – 24 Marquette – 23 Xavier – 10 Categories: College Sports, Sports Tags: PC Friars, Providence College