URI Picked Second In Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll, Trio of Rams Named Preseason All-Atlantic 10

University of Rhode Island Press Release

KINGSTON, R.I. — In year three of the Tammi Reiss era, Rhode Island women’s basketball was selected to finish second in the 2021-22 Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll. Redshirt senior Emmanuelle Tahane was named to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference First Team, redshirt junior Marie-Paule Foppossi earned a spot on the Second Team, and grad transfer Dez Elmore landed on the Third Team, the league announced Wednesday.

The reigning Co-Player of the Year, Tahane finished the 2020-21 season top of the A-10 with her 59.5 field goal percentage, and was sixth in the league averaging 15.1 points per game. Also a member of the All-Conference First Team and All-Academic Team, her performance from the floor a year ago was the best all-time. A walking double-double, the Bondy, France native grabbed an average of 10.3 rebounds per game, good for third in the league. Her nine double-doubles on the year sat second in the A-10 and 48th nationally.

Foppossi battled back from injury to shine in league play a year ago. The redshirt junior had 10 double-digit performances in the Ram’s A-10 play, including two 20+ point games. Foppossi poured in a career-best 32 points on 12-of-16 from the floor in Rhody’s regular season finale over VCU. She’s finished 2020-21 second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.3 points, which was good for 12th in the league.

Elmore, a grad transfer from Seton Hall, looks to make her mark on the Atlantic 10 this season. The All-BIG EAST First Team selection was a 1,000 point scorer during her three years with the Pirates. Elmore was the only player in the BIG EAST Conference to rank in the Top-15 in all five major statistical categories: scoring (17.4), rebounding (9.1), assists (3.3), blocks (1.4) and steals (1.9). She played in 19 games for the Pirates her senior year, making 17 starts. She led the team in double-doubles (5) for the second straight season, and was ranked seventh in the BIG EAST with her 17.4 points per game. She was second in the league with her 9.1 boards per game.

Rhode Island received 174 total points – including two first-place votes – in voting among the league’s head coaches for the second-place pick.

2021-22 Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Dayton (11) – 193
2. Rhode Island (2) – 174
3. Fordham – 163
4. Saint Louis -144
VCU (1)
6. Massachusetts – 140
7. Richmond – 104
8. La Salle – 100
9. Duquesne – 83
10. Saint Joseph’s – 68
11. Davidson – 66
12. George Washington – 41
13. St. Bonaventure – 32
14. George Mason – 18
Number in parenthesis indicates number of first-place votes