Toledo and Bowling Green Tabbed As Preseason Favorites
CLEVELAND, OHIO – The Mid-American Conference announced the 2011-2012 Women’s Basketball Preseason poll today as voted on by the league’s head coaches and select members of the media. The 2011 WNIT Champion Toledo Rockets were selected to win the West Division along with the MAC tournament title, while the 2011 MAC Tournament Champion Bowling Green Falcons were picked to finish first in the East Division.
Toledo returns nine letterwinners from last season’s squad who lead the team to one of the most successful seasons in school history by winning a school record 29 games and becoming the first MAC women’s basketball program to capture a national postseason tournament. Leading the way for the Rockets this season will be senior co-captain and WNIT MVP, Naama Shafir, who lead the team with 15.3 ppg and 5.1 apg and junior co-captain Lecretia Smith, who finished the season averaging 6.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 1.5 spg. Other seniors include Courtney Ingersoll (4.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Haylie Linn (3.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg). UT also returns junior WNIT All-Tournament team member Yolanda Richardson, who averages 7.4 ppg and 5.6 rpg. In total, the Rockets welcome back 66.0 percent of their scoring, 71.9 percent of their rebounding, 80.0 percent of their assists and 76.3 percent of their steals in 2011-12.
Bowling Green returns just one senior in Jessica Slagle from last year’s team that won 28 games, captured the East Division title and the MAC tournament title while advancing to the NCAA tournament. Slagle was the Falcons top bench performer last season playing all 33 games averaging 3.8 ppg and shot 42 percent from three-point range. Also returning for BGSU is junior Chrissy Steffen and redshirt junior Danielle Havel. Steffen started all 33 games for the Falcons and led the team in steals while averaging 10.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg. Havel also played all 33 games off the bench averaging 2.1 ppg and 2.1 rpg.
Central Michigan was picked to finish second in the West Division. CMU returns three starters in senior Skylar Miller, All-MAC junior Brandie Baker and MAC Freshman of the Year Niki DiGuilio. Baker last season became the first player in CMU history, men or women, to register a triple-double. She finished last season 22nd in the NCAA in assists to turnover ratio and tied the program record of 156 assists. DiGuilio finished last year with 17 double-figure scoring efforts, and ranked 25th in the NCAA in three-point field goal percentage (40.8).
Rounding out the West Division is MAC Tournament runner-up Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ball State and Western Michigan.
Tabbed to finish second in the East Division was Miami. The RedHawks return all five starters from last year’s team including Courtney Osborn, who led the team with 17.3 ppg and 4.4 apg and Kirsten Olowinski lead the team in rebounds with 11.1 rpg.
Completing the East Division are Akron, Kent State, Ohio and Buffalo.
Joining Shafir, Baker and DiGuilio on the Preseason West Division All-MAC Team were Eastern Michigan’s Tavelyn James and Western Michigan’s Miame Giden. James averaged 17.4 ppg scoring 642 points last season good enough for third in the MAC last season. Giden averaged 11.7 ppg last season after missing 12 games due to injury.
Joining Steffen, Osborn and Olowinski on the Preseason East Division All-MAC Team were Tenishia Benson of Ohio and Rachel Tecca of Akron. Benson led team in scoring and rebounding in her first season of competition with the Bobcats with 13.6 ppg and 7.2 rpg. Tecca recorded one of the best seasons in Akron’s history, starting all 30 games for the Zips while talling 475 points and 288 rebounds in a team-high 853 minutes.
The 2011-12 women’s basketball season beings with games on Friday, November 11th. The Mid-American Conference season kicks off January 4th. Keep up-to-date with all things MAC Women’s Basketball at www.mac-sports.com.
West Division Preseason Poll
1. Toledo
2. Central Michigan
3. Eastern Michigan
4. Northern Illinois
5. Ball State
6. Western Michigan
East Division Preseason Poll
1. Bowling Green
2. Miami
3. Akron
4. Kent State
5. Ohio
6. Buffalo
MAC Tournament Champion – Toledo
West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Brandi Baker, Central Michigan
Niki DiGuilio, Central Michigan
Tavelyn James, Eastern Michigan
Naama Shafir, Toledo
Miame Giden, Western Michigan
East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Rachel Tecca, Akron
Chrissy Steffen, Bowling Green
Courtney Osborn, Miami
Kirsten Olowinski, Miami
Tenishia Benson, Ohio
