"That's good locker-room material for them," quipped James Madison coach Kenny Brooks, whose team was picked second to Old Dominion at the 12-team conference's annual media day at the ESPN Zone.

James Madison senior guard Tamera Young earned preseason player-of-the-year accolades. Dragons sophomore forward Gabriela Marginean joined her on the preseason first team. The second team included Kyle DeHaven, a senior guard at Delaware, which was picked fifth.

Despite Brooks' assertion, Drexel coach Denise Dillon is not writing motivational speeches off the vote by the conferences' coaches and sports information directors, and reporters who cover the conference.

"It's a good thing, actually," Dillon said. "In the past, we were picked higher than where I thought we should be, and the result showed.

"But I'm excited at what we're returning. And our players are excited. But we have a lot to prove. So where they picked us is legit."

Marginean, a native of Romania, is the conference's top returning scorer with a 16.6-point average. Senior guard Narissa Suber is 66 three-pointers away from becoming the conference's all-time leading long-range bomber.

Most important, Drexel forward Nicole Hester resumes full activity at practice today.

Hester was sidelined a year ago by Hodgkin's lymphoma and missed the season. Drexel did not announce the cause of her absence until recently.

It was a reason Drexel slumped to 10-21 overall and 4-14 in the conference, finishing ninth.

Hester, who joined the team on the bench for several games, will be given the conference's inspiration award.

"We're returning a player who was a two-year starter, who's a junior [by eligibility], and someone who understands the game so well and what we're trying to teach," Dillon said. "It's nice to have that experience.

"It's a tremendous difference the first week of practice seeing players who now have experience and understand our system."

Delaware's Tina Martin thought her team's forecast was accurate.

"This is the youngest roster I've had," said Martin, who lost an all-time star in Tyresa Smith, now a member of the WNBA's Detroit Shock.

Delaware was 26-6 and tied for second at 16-2 in the conference.

The Blue Hens and James Madison earned at-large bids to the NCAA tournament behind Old Dominion, the conference champion. Sending three NCAA representatives to the tournament was a first for the conference and a rarity for one with a mid-major designation.

But there was nothing rare yesterday about Old Dominion's annual No. 1 pick. The Monarchs are 16 for 16 in titles since they joined the conference.

"I don't know if that's a tribute or we're being set up," Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry said.