HAMMOND, Ind.  – The Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball was selected to finish fourth in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference this season, as the conference released its 2009-10 Preseason Coaches’ Poll earlier this week.

The Peregrines are coming off last season’s five-game turnaround and with three of the top four scorers returning from an offense that topped the CCAC with 75.2 points per game there is good reason to be excited about the direction that the program is heading.  

Head coach Tom Megyesi‘s team will aim to capitalize on the returning talent and climb the ranks of the CCAC this season, after finishing fourth in the conference a year ago with a 5-5 mark.

The strength of the team will lie in its guard play, as Purdue Calumet returns its entire backcourt from last season. All-conference performers Jennifer Britton and MeMe Harris headline PUC’s talented group of guards, which also includes standouts Stephaine Beck and Nicci Desimone.

In Britton, Purdue Calumet has one of the CCAC’s top three-point threats, as the junior led the conference with 87 trifectas on the season while knocking down an impressive 42.2 percent of her long-range attempts. She will be given plenty of opportunities from the dynamic Harris, arguably the conference’s top point guard. The 5-foot-5 junior ranked second in the conference in assists in 2008-09, while leading the team in that category 21 times and eclipsing the 10-assist plateau in three contests. 

Beck is back for her second campaign with the Peregrines, after proving herself as one of the top scoring threats in the CCAC. The Mishawaka, Ind. native led all conference freshmen in scoring with 12.6 points per game and ranked third among all CCAC athletes with 58 three-point field goals. She is joined by fellow sophomore Nicci Desimone, who averaged 6.7 points per game while finishing sixth in the conference with 45 trifectas. Desimone also gives PUC a capable passer, as she finished second on the team and third among CCAC freshmen with 55 assists last season.

Megyesi also returns experienced center Sara Keilman, as the 6-foot senior gives the team good size and scoring ability in the post. Keilman averaged 6.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last season, while shooting 48.7 percent from the field. Back-up point guard Krystal Coleman comes back for sophomore season, after dishing out 25 assists in her first year at Purdue Calumet.

The Peregrines will also be helped by a talented incoming class, headlined by Tierra Turner. The 5-foot-8 guard will be slotted as a probable starter, as her rebounding and scoring abilities will prove to be invaluable for PUC.

Fellow frosh Amanda Gaskin and Alex Starr will also see plenty of playing time this season. Gaskin adds depth in the post, where her energy and speed will make an immediate impact. Starr, coming from a very successful Plymouth High School program, gives Purdue Calumet yet another outside threat while providing the ability to play a number of positions. Newcomers Samekia Coaxum, Savannah Hauter, Natalie Sovich and Alyssa Trinidad add impressive depth to an already potent Peregrines’ roster.

Purdue Calumet opens the season at the Fitness and Recreation Center, when it faces Michigan Dearborn on Thursday, Nov. 5. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CST.