Green Bay, Wright State Tabbed #HLWBB Favorites, Williams Named Preseason Player of the Year

INDIANAPOLIS – After meeting in the Horizon League women’s basketball championship game last season, Green Bay and Wright State have been voted the preseason favorites to earn the 2019-20 Horizon League women’s basketball title. IUPUI’s Macee Williams was chosen as the Preseason Player of the Year in voting by the League’s head coaches.

Williams was voted the Preseason Player of the Year for the second-straight year, after earning Player of the Year honors following the 2018-19 campaign. The IUPUI junior led the League in scoring last season, posting 16.1 points per game and ranking second in rebounding (8.8 per game). The Veedersburg, Ind. native shot .508 from the floor last season, improving to .537 in League contests.

Green Bay and Wright State each captured four first-place votes and finished with 91 points to tie for first place in this year’s poll. Green Bay is led by Preseason All-League First Team selection Frankie Wurtz, who averaged 10.5 points per game last season, helping the Phoenix to a 15-3 mark in League play. Wright State is paced by Preseason All-League First Team selection Michal Miller and Second Team honoree Angel Baker. Miller scored 11.6 points per game last season, while Baker added 9.2 and the Raiders earned their first outright regular season title in program history and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.

Joining Williams, Wurtz, and Miller on the Preseason All-Horizon League First Team are Milwaukee’s Megan Walstad and Youngstown State’s Mary Dunn.

Walstad was an All-Freshman Team selection last season, posting 10.7 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game in her rookie campaign for the Panthers. Dunn earned All-League First Team recognition last season, along with Sixth Player of the Year honors. Dunn averaged 12.6 points and 5.7 rebounds, while leading the League with a .557 field goal percentage in 2018-19.

Four institutions are represented on the Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team. In addition to WSU’s Baker, Cleveland State’s Savanna Crockett and Mariah Miller, Molly Glick of Northern Kentucky, and YSU’s Chelsea Olson earned Second Team honors.

Crockett looks to improve on her rookie campaign where she earned Freshman of the Year honors, putting up 11.3 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game. Teammate Miller earned All-League First Team honors last season, leading #HLWBB in League contests with 15.3 points per game. NKU’s Glick posted 10.0 points per game last season for the Norse. YSU’s Olson picked up All-League Second Team honors last season, leading the League with 4.6 assists per game, along with 7.1 rebounds per game, and 10.0 points per game.

Coming in third in the preseason poll with 85 total points and two first-place votes is IUPUI, followed in fourth place by Youngstown State with 71 total points.

Milwaukee is fifth in the preseason poll with 57 points just ahead of sixth-place Northern Kentucky with 51 total points.

In seventh place in the poll is Cleveland State (37 points), followed by Oakland in eighth (31 points). Rounding out the poll are Detroit Mercy (19 points) and UIC (17 points).

The regular season will start on Tuesday, Nov. 5, with three teams in action. Horizon League play begins on Saturday, Dec. 28, with all 10 teams in action. All eligible teams will compete in this year’s Horizon League Basketball Championships and eight teams – four men and four women – will look to advance to Indianapolis and #ReachTheHorizon March 9-10 at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum located at the Indiana State

Fairgrounds & Event Center.

2019-20 #HLWBB Preseason Poll

Pl. Team – Pts. (First-place votes)

T1. Green Bay – 91 (4)

T1. Wright State – 91 (4)

3. IUPUI – 85 (2)

4. Youngstown State – 71

5. Milwaukee – 57

6. Northern Kentucky – 51

7. Cleveland State – 37

8. Oakland – 31

9. Detroit Mercy – 19