BAY CITY, Mich. -- The 2015 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll and All-Conference Awards have been unveiled prior to the start of the new season. All the action begins on Friday, Nov. 13th with conference play beginning Thursday, Dec. 3rd.
Michigan Tech senior forward Danielle Blake was voted 2015 GLIAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year as the First Team All-GLIAC selection from a year ago hopes to return the North Division-favorite Huskies to the NCAA Postseason. Blake averaged 13.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest while shooting 48.2 percent to lead Kim Cameron's squad after a 20-2 GLIAC record in 2014-15. Michigan Tech collected 111 points and 13 first-place votes in the North Division followed by Grand Valley State with 96 points and the final three first-place ballots. Northwood ranked third (78) in the polling ahead of Northern Michigan (68) and Saginaw Valley (51) in fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Hillsdale (48), Ferris State (41) and Lake Superior State (19) round out the North Division's final three spots.
The Ashland Eagles are paced by a pair of sophomores in Andi Daugherty (12.2 ppg/8.6 reb/48.1 pct) and Laina Snyder (14.2 ppg/8.6 reb/53.0 pct) as the youthful but experienced squad looks to make another run to the top of the conference standings and into the NCAAs. The Eagles earned 112 points and 14 first-place votes to lead the South Division followed by the Walsh Cavaliers who accumulated 88 points and a pair of first-place nods. Wayne State and Findlay tied for third with 83 points each, while Ohio Dominican (51), Tiffin (45), Malone (30) and Lake Erie (20) complete the rankings in the GLIAC South.
Below are the 2015 GLIAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Polls and All-Conference Awards:
Click team names below for season previews
2015 GLIAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll | ||
North Division | ||
# | Team | Votes (1st) |
1 | Michigan Tech | 111 (13) |
2 | Grand Valley St. | 96 (3) |
3 | Northwood | 78 |
4 | Northern Michigan | 68 |
5 | Saginaw Valley St. | 51 |
6 | Hillsdale | 48 |
7 | Ferris State | 41 |
8 | Lake Superior St. | 19 |
South Division | ||
# | Team | Votes (1st) |
1 | Ashland | 112 (14) |
2 | Walsh | 88 (2) |
3 | Wayne State | 83 |
3 | Findlay | 83 |
5 | Ohio Dominican | 51 |
6 | Tiffin | 45 |
7 | Malone | 30 |
8 | Lake Erie | 20 |
2015 GLIAC Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Awards | |||
North Division - First Team | |||
Name | Year | Position | School |
Danielle Blake* | Sr. | Forward | Michigan Tech |
Lauren Robak | Sr. | G/F | Northwood |
Brionna Barnett | Sr. | Guard | Grand Valley St. |
Emily Wendling | Jr. | Forward | Saginaw Valley St. |
Katie Mavis | Sr. | Guard | Ferris State |
North Division - Second Team |
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Kayla Dawson | Jr. | Forward | Grand Valley St. |
Maddy Seeley | So. | Guard | Northwood |
April LaCross | Sr. | Forward | Lake Superior St. |
Kayla Geffert | Sr. | Guard | Hillsdale |
Mackenzie Edwards | Jr. | Guard | Lake Superior St. |
2015 GLIAC Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Awards | |||
South Division - First Team | |||
Name | Year | Position | School |
Andi Daugherty | So. | Forward | Ashland |
Laina Snyder | So. | Forward | Ashland |
Kelsey Funderburgh | Sr. | Guard | Walsh |
Margaret Wuebker | Sr. | Forward | Findlay |
Rachel Goddard | Jr. | Guard | Malone |
South Division - Second Team | |||
Melissa Scherpenberg | Sr. | Forward | Ohio Dominican |
Brooklyn Wooten | Jr. | Guard | Walsh |
Brittany Streetman | Sr. | Guard | Wayne State |
Madi Rittinger | Jr. | Forward | Ohio Dominican |
Kayla Gabor | So. | Guard | Lake Erie |
* - All-GLIAC Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year