Green Bay Tops 2008-09 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll

Oct. 8, 2008

Click on the audio player below for an interview with Green Bay head coach Matt Bollant



View Release and Poll in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS - The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has been tabbed as the top women's basketball team in the Horizon League, according to the league's 2008-09 preseason poll.

The Phoenix received 284 points and 24 of 29 first-place votes from Horizon League head coaches, women's basketball sports information directors and a media member in each league market. Green Bay went 26-6 overall and 17-1 in league play a season ago en route to a WNIT berth.

Green Bay, which has owned at least a share of the regular season title in each of the last 10 years, returns four starters - including a trio of double-digit scorers - from last year's squad.

Wright State University (241 points), the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (240), defending Horizon League champion Cleveland State University (228) and Butler University (204) rank two through five in the preseason poll.

Wright State wrapped up the 2007-08 campaign 16-16 overall and 11-7 in league action. The Raiders are led by sophomore guard Shey Peddy, who was third in the Horizon League with 16.7 points per game last year.

Milwaukee (17-14, 11-7 last year), which returns 2007-08 Horizon League Player of the Year Traci Edwards, Cleveland State (19-14, 10-8) and Butler (20-10, 10-8) also posted winning records a year ago. CSU is led by junior guard Kailey Klein, who was named MVP of last year's Horizon League Championship. BU returns all five starters from last year's team, a squad that won 20 games for the first time since 1997-98.

Valparaiso University (179), the University of Illinois at Chicago (97) and Loyola University Chicago (94) were picked sixth through eighth in the poll. Youngstown State (71) and Detroit (41), which are each entering the season under a new head coach, rounded out the voting.

In addition to Green Bay's 24, Milwaukee received two first-place votes. Wright State, Cleveland State and Butler each garnered one.

The 2008-09 Horizon League women's basketball regular season begins with four contests on Friday, Nov. 14.

The Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship is slated for March 9, 11, 13 and 15. Cleveland State defeated Wright State, 70-56, in last year's title game.

Please click the PDF at the top of the page to view the entire preseason poll.