Mid-American Conference

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced Wednesday, October 29th the 2014-15 Women’s Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll and All-MAC Teams as voted on by the twleve head coaches of the Mid-American Conference. 

Buffalo and Central Michigan were each selected to win their respective divisions in 2015 as both squads return veteran squads.  For Buffalo, an East division title would be the first in program history, while Central Michigan will be chasing their second as they look to repeat from a season ago.  Additionally, the Chippewas were tabbed to win 2015 MAC Women’s Basketball Tournament in March.  A Chippewa tournament title would be their second in three years.

In the East, behind Buffalo in the coaches poll, defending MAC regular season champions, Bowling Green State University, were picked to finish second.  The Falcons come in following the departure of three key starters, and off a 30-5 record a year ago.   The 2014 MAC Tournament champ, Akron Zips, were picked to finish third in the East a season removed from their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the departure of Hanna Luburgh and 2013 Player of the Year, Rachel Tecca.  Rounding out the East are Ohio slated for fourth, Miami picked fifth and Kent State sixth.

Behind Sue Guevara and the Chippewas in the West are the Ball State Cardinals.  Ball State comes in under third-year head coach Brady Sallee, whom led the Cardinals to one of the best MAC Tournament runs in history a season ago on the way to a runner up spot in the Championship game.   The Western Michigan Broncos were picked to finish third in the West in 2015, followed by the Toledo Rockets in fourth, Eastern Michigan Eagles fifth and Northern Illinois Huskies sixth.

Buffalo saw the only pair of teammates named to the preseason All-MAC squads, as Mackenzie Loesing and Kristen Sharkey represent the Bulls.  Loesing and Sharkey are joined in the East by Bowling Green’s Erica Donovan, Ohio’s Kiyanna Black and Akron’s Sina King who returns after missing the 2013-14 season due to medical reasons.

In the West, 2013-14 MAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Crystal Bradford leads the All-MAC preseason voting.  Bradford returns to the Chippewas following a knee injury that sidelined her days prior to the Chippewas’ 2014 MAC Tournament Semifinal.  Along with Bradford are Ball State’s Nathalie Fontaine, Toledo's Inma Zanoguera, Western Michigan's Miracle Woods and 2014 Freshman of the Year, Cha Sweeney of Eastern Michigan.

The MAC regular season gets underway on Friday, November 14 as ten of the twleve MAC programs take the court. MAC play begins on Saturday, January 3 as teams begin their march to the MAC Women Basketball Tournament that begins March 9th on the campuses of the five through eight seeds before moving to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, March 11-14.


2014-15 MAC East Predicted Order of Finish
1. Buffalo (8 First Place Votes)
2. Bowling Green (3)
3. Akron
4. Ohio (1)
5. Miami
6. Kent State

2014-15 MAC West Predicted Order of Finish
1. Central Michigan (11)
2. Ball State (1)
3. Western Michigan
4. Toledo
5. Eastern Michigan
6. Northern Illinois

2015 MAC Tournament Predicted Champion
Central Michigan (10)
Ball State & Buffalo (1)

Preseason All-MAC East Team
Sina King, Akron
Erica Donovan, Bowling Green
Mackenzie Loesing, Buffalo
Kristen Sharkey, Buffalo
Kiyanna Black, Ohio

Preseason All-MAC West Team
Nathalie Fontaine, Ball State
Crystal Bradford, Central Michigan
Cha Sweeney, Eastern Michigan
Inma Zanoguera, Toledo
Miracle Woods, Western Michigan