Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked to Win MAC Titles in 2009-10
October 28, 2009 | Women's Basketball
The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team has been picked to win both the Mid-American Conference's East Division and the MAC Tournament in 2010, according to the league's preseason poll. The poll was released Wednesday morning (Oct. 28) by the MAC office.
Preseason Poll release from MAC office | Preseason All-MAC Team release from MAC office
Additionally, juniors Lauren Prochaska and Tracy Pontius were selected to the Preseason All-MAC Team. Prochaska was the 2009 MAC Player of the Year, while Pontius joined her on the first team in March.
The Falcons of ninth-year head coach Curt Miller received 22 of the 36 votes to win the East Division. BGSU was picked ahead of -- in order -- Kent State, Miami, Akron, Ohio and Buffalo. BGSU has won five consecutive MAC regular-season titles, with a West Division crown in 2004-05 and four-straight East titles after being moved back to the East Division prior to the '05-06 academic year.
Miller and his staff -- associate head coach Jennifer Roos, assistant coaches Brandi Poole and Kevin Eckert and director of operations Monique Rosati -- welcome back 10 letterwinners from the 2008-09 team. That squad went 29-5 overall and 15-1 in MAC action, and advanced to national postseason play for the fifth consecutive March. BG advanced to the third round of the WNIT.
Toledo was picked to win the West Division, followed by Ball State, Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan.
Fans get their first chance to see the Falcons in action on Wednesday, Nov. 4, when BGSU takes on Findlay in an exhibition game at Anderson Arena. The regular season opens with a home game vs. Chicago State on Nov. 13, in the first round of the Preseason WNIT.
The MAC poll and preseason all-conference team follows...
MAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
2009-10 PRESEASON POLL
East Division
1 - Bowling Green (22)
2 - Kent State (12)
3 - Miami (2)
4 - Akron
5 - Ohio
6 - Buffalo
West Division
1 - Toledo (18)
2 - Ball State (14)
3 - Northern Illinois (4)
4 - Central Michigan
5 - Eastern Michigan
6 - Western Michigan
MAC Tournament Winner
Bowling Green (16)
First-place votes / tournament winner votes in ()
Preseason All-MAC Team
East Division
Lauren Prochaska, Bowling Green
Tracy Pontius, Bowling Green
Kara Murphy, Akron
Kourtney Brown, Buffalo
Jennifer Bushby, Ohio
West Division
Tanika Mays, Toledo
Britni Houghton, Central Michigan
Naama Shafir, Toledo
Danielle Gratton, Ball State
Emily Maggert, Ball State
