BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – The NEC released their preseason honors ahead of the 2025-26 women's basketball season on Monday afternoon. The FDU Knights were picked as the unanimous number one team in the conference. Additionally, sophomore Ava Renninger was unanimously named to the preseason All-NEC Team.

The Knights have earned the unanimous number one ranking in the preseason poll for the second season in a row. FDU earns the honor following an utterly dominant 2024-25 campaign. 

The 2024-25 Knights made "History on the Hackensack", finishing with a program-record 29-4 campaign. The Knights tore through the NEC, finishing with a 19-0 conference record en route to their third conference championship, and first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Reigning Brenda Reilly NEC Coach of the Year Stephanie Gaitley will continue to lead the Knights, heading into her third season at the helm in Hackensack. Gaitley heads into the season with 727 career wins, good for 15th all-time by an NCAA Division I women's basketball coach.

Gaitley's squad will return ten members from the 2024-25 NEC Champions, highlighted by point guard Ava Renninger.

Renninger was named unanimously to the 2025-26 Preseason All-NEC Team. She comes off of a remarkable freshman campaign, where she helped lead the Knights to the NEC Championship. Renninger finished 2024-25 as the NEC Rookie of the Year, and was named to the 2024-25 All-NEC First Team. She averaged 13.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 2.7 APG to help lead the Knights during her rookie season.

Gaitley, Renninger, and the Knights will kick off the 2025-26 season on Thursday, October 30 with an exhibition matchup against Villanova. Tip-off will come at 7 p.m. at the Bogota Savings Bank Center in Hackensack, N.J.