ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – In conjunction with the Metro Basketball Tipoff, the conference announced results of the league's Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Rider University women's basketball team was picked 11th in the preseason poll, earning 43 points. Senior guard Aliya McIver was selected to the Preseason All-Metro Second Team.
 
Fairfield (169) received 13 votes, unanimously taking the number one spot in the poll after finishing last year's campaign with a regular season and tournament championship. Siena (141), Sacred Heart (134), Iona (127), and Mount St. Mary's (108) rounded out the top five selection. Quinnipiac (103), Marist (87), and Manhattan (83) rounded out sixth, seventh, and eighth places in the selection while Merrimack (80), Saint Peter's (50), Rider (43), Canisius (42), and Niagara (16) came in at ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth places respectively.
 
Aliya McIver was selected to the Preseason All-Metro Second Team after a 2025-26 season that yielded an All-Defensive Team selection.
 
Rider opens the 2026-27 season on the road against NJIT in Newark on November 2 while opening their home campaign on December 2 against LIU at Canastra Hammer Arena in Lawrenceville.