Mid-American Conference

 
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced Wednesday, October 31st the 2018-19 Women’s Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll and All-MAC Teams as voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.
 
Buffalo and Central Michigan were selected to each win their respective divisions in 2019 as both programs are coming off NCAA Sweet Sixteen trips.Aside from being selected as the favorites to win the regular season, the Chippewas were also tabbed to win the 2019 MAC Women’s Basketball Tournament in March.
 
The Bulls are coming off their third 20-win season with nine letterwinners returning. Miami is favored to finish second. The RedHawks posted 22 wins last season under first-year head coach Megan Duffy. Rounding out the East Division is Ohio in third, Kent State in fourth, Bowling Green in fifth and Akron rounding out the East selections in sixth.
 
For Central Michigan, eight letter winners return for the 2019 campaign including First Team All-MAC member Presley Hudson and Second Team All-MAC honoree Reyna Frost. Toledo is selected to finish second as the Rockets bring back nine from the 2018 squad. Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ball State and Western Michigan complete the West, respectively.
 
Buffalo’s Cierra Dillard and Summer Hemphill were selected to the East Division Preseason All-MAC Team. Miami teammates Lauren Dickerson and Kendall McCoy along with Ohio’s Cierra (CeCe) Hooks complete the squad for the East.
 
Frost and Hudson were selected represent the Chippewas on the West Division Preseason All-MAC Team. Joining them are Danielle Minott from Eastern Michigan, NIU’s Courtney Woods and Toledo’s Kaayla McIntyre.
 
The MAC regular season tips off on Tuesday, November 6thwith Bowling Green traveling to East Lansing to take on Michigan State. The road to Cleveland begins in the New Year with all 12 programs hitting the court on Saturday, January 5thto start MAC play. The 2019 Women’s Basketball Tournament is set for March 11th on the high-seed campuses of the No. 5 through No. 8 seeds before moving to Quicken Loans Arena on March 13th.
 
2018-19 MAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
East Division Predicted Order of Finish
1. Buffalo (4 first place votes) – 62 points
2. Miami (5) - 61
3. Ohio (3) – 57 
4. Kent State – 28 
5. Bowling Green – 27 
6. Akron – 17
 
West Division Predicted Order of Finish
1. Central Michigan (12 first place votes) – 72 points
2. Toledo - 52
3. Eastern Michigan - 41
4. Northern Illinois - 38
5. Ball State - 34
6. Western Michigan - 15
 
2019 MAC Regular Season Predicted Champion: Central Michigan (9), Miami (2), Ohio (1)
 
2019 MAC Tournament Predicted Champion: Central Michigan (8), Buffalo (3), Northern Illinois (1)
 
Preseason All-MAC East Division Team
Cierra Dillard, Buffalo, Senior, Guard
Summer Hemphill, Buffalo, Junior, Forward
Lauren Dickerson, Miami, Junior, Guard
Kendall McCoy, Miami, Senior, Guard/Forward 
Cierra (CeCe) Hooks, Ohio, Sophomore, Guard
 
Preseason All-MAC West Division Team
Reyna Frost, Central Michigan, Senior, Forward
Presley Hudson, Central Michigan, Senior, Guard
Danielle Minott, Eastern Michigan, R-Senior, Guard 
Courtney Woods, Northern Illinois, Senior, Guard/Forward
Kaayla McIntyre, Toledo, Senior, Center