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INDIANAPOLIS -- The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has been picked to win the 2009-10 Horizon League women's basketball title, according to the League's annual preseason poll.
Green Bay, which has claimed at least a share of the Horizon League's regular-season crown in each of the past 11 seasons, received 266 points and 19 of 28 first-place votes from head coaches, sports information directors and media members.
The Phoenix (29-4, 18-0) tied a Horizon League record with 29 victories a season ago and became the first League squad to go 18-0 in conference action.
Green Bay owns 32 consecutive winning seasons dating back to the 1977-78 campaign. The Phoenix, which has won at least 20 contests in 10 straight seasons, has also received a postseason berth each year since 1998.
Cleveland State University (243 points, 4 first-place votes), Butler University (234, 3), the University of Illinois at Chicago (160) and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (155, 1) rank two through five in the League's preseason poll.
The Vikings (19-13, 12-6), who were seeded third in last year's Horizon League Championship, move up one spot to No. 2 in the preseason poll. The Bulldogs (20-12, 14-4), who were seeded second and advanced to the 2009 Postseason WNIT, slip one position to No. 3 in the preseason rankings.
The Flames (14-16, 8-10) and Panthers (15-18, 7-11) are both predicted to finish higher this year when compared to a season ago.
Valparaiso University (145 points), Wright State University (126), the University of Detroit Mercy (103), Loyola University Chicago (78) and Youngstown State University (30) round out the conference's preseason poll.
Cleveland State senior Kailey Klein is the lone returnee from the 2008-09 All-League First Team, while CSU junior Shawnita Garland, UIC senior Jessie Miller and Green Bay junior Celeste Hoewisch are back from last year's All-League Second Team.
Six Horizon League women's basketball teams open the regular season on Friday, Nov. 13. The 2010 Speedway Horizon League Championship is slated for March 8, 10, 12 and 14.
2009-10 PRESEASON HORIZON LEAGUE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL POLL
| Place | Team | Pts. | 1st Place Votes | 08-09 Record | 08-09 HL Record | 08-09 HL Finish | 08-09 Postseason |
| 1. | Green Bay | 266 | 19 | 29-4 | 18-0 | 1st | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2. | Cleveland State | 243 | 4 | 19-13 | 12-6 | 3rd | |
| 3. | Butler | 234 | 3 | 20-12 | 14-4 | 2nd | WNIT 2nd Round |
| 4. | UIC | 160 | - | 14-16 | 8-10 | 6th | |
| 5. | Milwaukee | 155 | 1 | 15-18 | 7-11 | T-7th | |
| 6. | Valparaiso | 145 | - | 16-14 | 10-8 | T-4th | |
| 7. | Wright State | 126 | - | 15-16 | 10-8 | T-4th | |
| 8. | Detroit | 103 | 1 | 12-19 | 7-11 | T-7th | |
| 9 | Loyola | 78 | - | 8-21 | 3-15 | 9th | |
| 10. | Youngstown State | 30 | - | 3-27 | 1-17 | 10th |
