The Marymount women's basketball team, which has finished second in the CAC regular-season standings the past three years since winning the 2006 playoff title, is ranked among the Top 20 teams in two preseason polls. 

Additionally, three-time defending CAC playoff champion Mary Washington received votes but is not in the Top 25 in both polls.

The Saints (20-7 in 2009), who have reached the 20-win plateau in three of the last four seasons and seven of the last nine, are ranked #19 in the USA Today/ESPN preseason poll, sponsored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and #20 in the D3Hoops.com preseason poll.

The Eagles (23-6 in 2009), who finished third in the regular season standings last year but upset second-seeded Marymount and top-seeded York, both on the road, to win their third-straight CAC title, are the 12th team listed among "others receiving votes" in the USA Today/ESPN poll (essentially ranked 37th in the country) and ninth in the D3hoops.com poll's "others receiving votes" (34th overall).

The 2009-10 season for all CAC teams opens Nov. 15 and culminates in the 2010 conference championship game Feb. 27, 2010.