The College of New Jersey has been selected as the favorite to win the 2005-06 New Jersey Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championship in a preseason poll of the league’s ten head coaches. The defending NJAC Regular Season Champion Lions will be seeking their third conference crown since 2000-01. 

TCNJ finished the 2004-05 season with a 20-6 overall record and a league-best 14-2 conference mark while advancing to the semifinals of the NJAC Tournament. The Lions, who last captured the NJAC title in 2003-04, received seven-of-the-ten first place votes cast by the coaches. Under the direction of 13th-year head coach Dawn Henderson, TCNJ has posted an overall record of 234-84.  

The Lions return two all-conference players in senior guard Alexa Shields and senior forward Erin Frank. In addition, TCNJ returns the reigning NJAC Defensive Player of the Year in senior guard Tiara Simpkins.

Richard Stockton College finished second in the poll and received three first place votes among the ten ballots cast. The 2004-05 NJAC Champions posted an overall record of 18-10 last year and earned a trip to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament via the conference's automatic bid. Under the direction of 14th-year head coach Joe Fussner, the Ospreys have posted an overall record of 204-137. Stockton returns one all-conference player from its championship squad in sophomore guard Jessica Rainey. 

William Paterson University, which posted an overall record of 15-12 last season, was selected to place third. Under the direction of 14th-year head coach Erin Monahan, the Pioneers have posted an overall record of 220-102. William Paterson returns a pair of all-conference guards in junior Luci Custis and sophomore Michelle Pellichero. 

Kean University, under the direction of eighth-year head coach Michele Sharp, placed fourth in the poll. Sharp has produced an overall record of 89-91 in her seven seasons at the helm of the Cougar program. Kean returns the reigning NJAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore forward Chari' Cooper.

Montclair State University, which posted an overall record of 15-12 in 2004-05, was selected to place fifth. Under the leadership of second-year head coach Beth O'Boyle, the Red Hawks return one all-conference player in junior forward Stephanie Machin. 

After advancing to the NJAC championship game last season, Rowan University was selected to place sixth. Sixth-year head coach Gabby Lisella has guided the Profs to an overall record of 75-50 during her tenure at Rowan.

Rutgers University-Newark, which finished 15-12 overall last season while earning berths in both the NJAC and ECAC Metro NY/NJ Tournaments, was selected to place seventh. The Scarlet Raiders are led by fifth-year head coach Kevin Morris.

The coaches' dark horse selection, Ramapo College was picked to place eighth. The Roadrunners are led by second-year head coach Tiesha Grace.

With its return to the New Jersey Athletic Conference in 2005-06, New Jersey City University was tapped to place ninth. The Gothic Knights are led by new first-year head coach Ashante Timoll. 

Rutgers University-Camden finished 10th in the poll. The Scarlet Raptors are led by new first-year head coach Dale Hodges. 

NJAC league play will get underway on Tuesday, November 22 with all 10 teams in action.

The top six regular season finishers will advance to the 2005-06 NJAC Championship Tournament, with all games played at the sight of the highest seed. The NJAC Tournament first round will take place on Monday, February 20 with the first and second-seeded teams receiving byes. The league semifinals will be held on Wednesday, February 22, and the 2005-06 NJAC Championship Game will take place on Friday, February 24. 

The NJAC Tournament Champion receives the conference's automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.