City 6 women's basketball capsules

Coach: Denise Dillon (194-151, 12th season)

Last season: 15-16, 9-7 (T-3rd) Colonial

Starting five: Rachel Pearson (G, junior, started all 31 games and led the Dragons with 10.3 points per game, third-team All-CAA selection), Meghan Creighton (G, started all 31 games alongside her Archbishop Carroll teammate Pearson in the backcourt, averaged 8.2 points per game and 3.9 assists), Sarah Curran (F, sophomore, averaged 8.9 points as a freshman in 22 minutes per, 2014 CAA All-Rookie Team), Jamila Thompson (C, redshirt-senior, England native appeared in 19 games, starting two, after transferring from Daytona State and redshirting the 2012-13 season), Jackie Schluth (F, junior, appeared in 29 of 31 games, averaged 3.1 points after missing entire previous season because of injury).

Off the bench: Alexis Smith (G, sophomore, appeared in 28 games as a freshman, scoring 6.1 points per game), Carrie Alexander (G, junior, appeared in 28 games and averaged 11.6 minutes per game while scoring 3.7 points), Megan Marecic (G, freshman, 1,000-point scorer at Bethel Park, Pa., despite missing senior year because of injury)

In passing: Drexel has only one senior after finishing in the middle of the pack in the Colonial. The Dragons should get Dillon's 200th win out of the way early on and will need to gel fast for that number to continue to climb.

Coach: Jeff Williams (37-53, fifth season)

Last season: 15-15, 9-7 (T-7th) Atlantic 10

Starting five: Alicia Cropper (G, redshirt senior, averaged a team-best 14.7 points per game, started all 30 games, second-team All-Atlantic 10), Micahya Owens (G, sophomore, started all 30 games as a freshman while averaging 13.7 points per game, A-10 All-Rookie team), Siobhan Beslow (F, redshirt junior, started in 29 of 30 games last season, posting 4.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game), Jasmine Alston (G, sophomore, started in 20 games during freshman season, averaging 6.5 points in just over 30 minutes per game), Lisa Mintzer (F, sophomore, played in 21 games after missing the first eight because of injury).

Off the bench: Khristin Lee (G, graduate, played in 16 games with 10 starts before suffering season-ending ankle injury in first year after transferring from Alabama), Deja Bullock (F, sophomore, appeared in 29 of 30 games as a freshman, averaging 12.5 minutes per game), Amy Griffin (F, freshman, 2014 Georgia Class A Player of the Year).

In passing: The Explorers showed drastic improvement in Williams' fourth year as coach. With four starters and an experienced bench returning for this season, La Salle could be a sleeper in the tough and deep Atlantic 10.

Coach: Mike McLaughlin (66-78, sixth season)

Last season: 22-7, 12-2 (1st) Ivy

Starting five: Sydney Stipanovich (C, sophomore, reigning Ivy Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, averaged 12 points, 8.3 rebounds per game, and tallied 99 blocks), Kara Bonenberger (F, senior, started in all 29 contests while averaging 10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game), Katy Allen (F, senior, started in 13 games, missed time because of injury, posted 6.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game), Kathleen Roche (G, senior, started every game last year, averaging 5.7 points per game, made 39 three-pointers), Renee Busch (G, senior, appeared in all 29 games, third on the team with 26 made three-pointers).

Off the bench: Melanie Lockett (G, sophomore, appeared in 28 of 29 games, averaging 10.3 minutes per game), Michelle Nwokedi (C, freshman, 2014 McDonald's All-America nominee, ranked No. 21 recruit at center by ESPNU HoopGurlz), Lauren Whitlatch (G, freshman, 2014 McDonald's All-America nominee, first-team All-State in Indiana).

In passing: McLaughlin isn't placing high expectations of a repeat as Ivy champs, but if the young group, with a taste of veteran experience, gels fast, they'll win plenty of games in the Ivy League and be right in the thick of it at the end of the season.

Coach: Cindy Griffin (246-166, 14th season)

Last season: 23-10, 10-6 (T-5th) Atlantic 10

Starting five: Natasha Cloud (G, senior, averaged 11.5 points and a team-high 7.6 assists and 6.6 rebounds, while starting all 33 games), Sarah Fairbanks (F, junior, started 26 games and was second on the team with 12.7 points per game), Ciara Andrews (G, junior, started in 17 games and posted averages of 9.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest), Ashley Robinson (F, senior, averaged 6.2 points and 5.4 rebounds), Avery Marz (G, freshman, 1,000-points-plus scorer and two-time All-Berks County award-winner at Wilson West Lawn)

Off the bench: Jessica Pongonis (F, sophomore, appeared in 24 games and played in just under 10 minutes per game as a freshman), Adashia Franklyn (F, freshman from West Chester-Rustin, Candace Belvedere (F, freshman, 2014 McDonald's All-America nominee while winning state championship at Kellenberg Memorial in New York).

In passing: St. Joe's welcomes in a talented freshman class to join a relatively experienced core group of players. If the rookies can chip in early, the Hawks are more than capable of making a run in the A-10.

Coach: Tonya Cardoza (98-62, seventh season)

Last season: 14-16, 8-10 (T-5th) American

Starting five: Feyonda Fitzgerald (G, sophomore, unanimous All-Freshman team in AAC after averaging a team-high 12.9 points per game), Tyonna Williams (G, senior, started all 30 games, averaging 9.6 points during a team-best 32.4 minutes per game), Erica Covile (G, junior, played in all 30 games, starting 26, and averaged 8.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game), Taylor Robinson (C, sophomore, 2014 All-Freshman team in the AAC, averaged 4.6 points per game), Mama Traore (F, junior, played 2 years at Burlington County College).

Off the bench: Ruth Sherrill (F, junior, played 2 years at Hofstra before transferring to Temple), Tanaya Atkinson (G, freshman, scored 1,710 points and was a three-time all-state selection from New Haven, Conn.), Safiya Martin (C, sophomore, played in 25 games as a freshman, averaging 10 minutes per contest).

In passing: Last year was a difficult transition for Cardoza and the Owls into the AAC. There were reports of internal locker-room issues that led to a few transfers, which also didn't help. The new-look Owls have a tall task in 2014-15.

Coach: Harry Perretta (661-413, 37th season)

Last season: 23-9, 12-6 (T-3rd) Big East

Starting five: Emily Leer (C, senior, started all 32 games, averaging 9.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game), Lauren Burford (F, senior, started in 30 games; overall, posted 8.9 points per game, knocked down 64 three-pointers), Kavunaa Edwards (F, junior, started in 30 games, though averaged only 13.1 minutes), Caroline Coyer (G, junior, top returning scorer averaged 10.2 points per game; she started four games), Katherine Coyer (G, junior, Caroline's twin, started 15 games and averaged 7.3 points per game overall).

Off the bench: Taylor Holeman (F, senior, played in 30 games and posted 7.1 points and a team-high 5.2 rebounds per game), Kendall Burton (G, junior, played in 28 games while starting seven), Samantha Wilkes (F, sophomore, started in 11 and played in all 32 games as a freshman), Megan Quinn (C, sophomore, played in all 32 games as a freshman, averaging 7 minutes per game)

In passing: Villanova returns an experienced group, with seven contributing upperclassmen and a bevy of young talent. The Wildcats could be poised for a run for a Big East title in Perretta's 37th year.

Schedule

For a composite day-by-day schedule for the women's City 6, go to philly.com/boopstats