Preseason All-MAC Women's Basketball Teams Announced
Oct. 10, 2002
CLEVELAND - Three first-team all-Mid-American Conference members from last season and four others who captured second-team and honorable mention all-league honors highlight the women's basketball preseason all-MAC team, announced today by the league office. Members of the MAC News Media Association conducted voting for the team.
For the first time, a ten-member squad is announced, consisting of five from each division. The preseason all-MAC East Division team is: Kent State's Andrea Csaszar, Marshall's Ida Dotson, Miami's Heather Cusick, Buffalo's Jessica Kochendorfer and Kent State's Valerie Zona.
In the West Division, the members are: Ball State's Tamara Bowie, Toledo's Tia Davis, Western Michigan's Kristin Koetsier, Bowling Green's Francine Miller and Northern Illinois' Jennifer Youngblood. Bowie, Koetsier and Miller were all members on last year's preseason all-MAC team.
Csaszar, who was last year's Kraft MAC Women's Basketball Tournament MVP, led the conference in field goal shooting (.550), was second in blocked shots (1.96) and sixth in scoring (15.0). The junior from Hungary set a MAC Tournament record with 18 blocked shots; nine of which came against Miami in the semifinals. A second-team all-MAC pick in 2001-02, she also helped the Golden Flashes to their MAC-record seventh consecutive 20-win season.
In just one season, Marshall's Dotson has developed into one of the MAC's top threats, who can score, pass and play defense. The Tombstone, AZ, native led the Thundering Herd in scoring (13.6), which was 12th in the MAC, and also ranked in the top 15 in the league in steals (2.11, T5th) and assists (2.86, T15th). Dotson, a senior, paced Marshall in scoring in 15 of the team's 28 games.
Cusick, who was named the MAC's Player of the Year last season, led the league in scoring (17.5) and was second in the conference in assists (5.60), steals (2.87) and 3-point field goals (2.43) per game. The Kokomo, IN, native set a school record with 73 3-pointers and is also the school's career leader in assists (456). After garnering honorable mention all-MAC accolades in her first two seasons, Cusick last year became the first RedHawk to be named first-team all-MAC since 1995.
An honorable mention selection as a sophomore, Buffalo's Kochendorfer led the Bulls and ranked fourth in the MAC in rebounding (7.6) and 10th in scoring (14.3). She was also third in blocked shots (1.36) and eighth in field goal percentage (.456). A native of Allen, MI, Kochendorfer scored a career-high 27 points against Ball State last season and tallied seven double-doubles, which was tied for third in the MAC.
Zona was a part of the Golden Flashes' squad that won their third MAC tournament title in the last five years. The guard from Cranberry, PA, was an honorable mention pick a year ago and was third in the MAC in free throw percentage (.840) and sixth in assists-per-game average (4.35). The senior averaged 13.1 points per game overall, with that average climbing to 14.6 in conference contests.
A first-team all-MAC pick in each of her last two seasons, Ball State's Bowie has emerged into one of the top all-around players in the league. The Lansing, MI, native was tabbed a first-team Kodak All-District pick in each of the last two seasons and was second in the conference in scoring (16.6), field goal percentage (.550) and eighth in rebounding (7.2). The forward is presently the MAC's active career leading scorer with 1,473 points and is 41 points shy of becoming the Cardinals' all-time leading scorer.
Toledo's Davis led the Rockets in scoring and steals eight times as a junior and finished third on the team in scoring (11.2). One of the league's top free throw shooters, Davis was eighth in the category hitting 82 percent of her shots. The forward from Kokomo, IN, also averaged 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
The recipient of both the V Foundation Comeback of the Year award and the Honda Inspiration award, Western Michigan's Koetsier was also recognized as a first-team all-MAC selection as a sophomore for the second time in her career. The junior forward, who is from Grandville MI, ranked in the top 10 in the league in five statistical categories, including scoring (15.0, 5th), rebounding (7.5, 6th), field goal percentage (.459, 7th), free throw percentage (.824, T5th) and blocked shots (1.03, 8th). Koetsier reached the 1,000-career point plateau in her 61st game, which tied her for the fastest player in WMU history to reach the level.
Bowling Green's Miller missed most of last year with an injury, playing in only four games. The senior, who was granted a medical redshirt, averaged 17.5 point per game in those contests and is 13th on the Falcons' career point list with 1,149. The Kalida, OH, guard twice has been named to an all-MAC team, a second-team choice as a junior in 2001 and a first-team nod as a sophomore in 2000.
A second-team all-MAC choice as a sophomore, Northern Illinois' Youngblood ranked second in the league in rebounds per game (9.0), double-doubles (9) and was third in field goal percentage (.547). The junior forward from Rock Island, IL, also led the team in scoring (13.2) and was named to the Kraft MAC all-tournament team last season after averaging 14.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest. Youngblood had 14 games of 15 or more points, including a season-high 20 points versus Ball State in the tournament.
The preseason all-MAC team will be available for interview at the conference's Basketball Media Day, which is slated for Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Gund Arena in Cleveland. The media portion of the event is set to begin at 3 p.m.
-- 30 --
2002 Preseason All-MAC Team
East Division
Player School Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown (High School/College)
Andrea Csaszar Kent State C 6-6 Jr. Szekszard, Hungary (Janos Garay)
Heather Cusick Miami G 5-8 Sr. Kokomo, IN (Kokomo)
Ida Dotson Marshall G 5-9 Sr. Tombstone, AZ (Central Arizona CC)
Jessica Kochendorfer Buffalo F/G 6-1 Jr. Allen, MI (Quincy)
Valerie Zona Kent State G 5-9 Sr. Cranberry, PA (Seneca Valley/WVU)
West Division
Player School Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown (High School/College)
Tamara Bowie Ball State F 6-0 Sr. Lansing, MI (Sexton)
Tia Davis Toledo G 5-10 Sr. Kokomo, IN (Kokomo)
Kristin Koetsier W. Michigan F 6-3 Jr. Grandville, MI (Grandville)
Francine Miller Bowling Green G 5-11 Sr. Kalida, OH (Kalida)
Jennifer Youngblood N. Illinois F 5-11 Jr. Rock Island, IL (Rock Island)
