Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked To Place Sixth In West Division
October 23, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Oct. 23, 2002
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team has been predicted to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference's West Division, according to the league's preseason poll. The poll was announced Wednesday (Oct. 23) by the conference office. Voting for the poll was conducted by members of the MAC News Media Association.
The league held its annual media day at Gund Arena in downtown Cleveland Wednesday afternoon. Kent State and Ball State were picked to win the East and West Divisions, respectively.
BGSU second-year head coach Curt Miller and senior Francine Miller attended the gathering in Cleveland. The latter Miller was one of 10 MAC student-athletes in attendance as members of the preseason all-conference team.
The Falcons garnered a total of 73 votes in the poll, to finish behind BSU (225 pts.), Western Michigan (173), Toledo (162), Northern Illinois (152) and Eastern Michigan (100). Central Michigan, with 39 points, was picked to finish seventh in the West.
In the East, KSU (19 pts.) led the way, followed by Miami (174), Marshall (106), Ohio (100), Buffalo (91) and Akron (33).
Curt Miller welcomes back a total of nine letterwinners. That total includes Francine Miller, who earned three letters before missing all but four games last year due to injury.
The Falcons went 9-19 overall and 6-10 in the MAC last season. BGSU, after playing in the East Division since the MAC went to a divisional format five years ago, move to the West Division for the 2002-03 campaign. The move was a result of the MAC's adding the University of Central Florida as a football-only member and placing UCF in the East Division.
"We're excited about the coming season, and we're excited about the challenge of the move to the West Division," Curt Miller told the assembled media. "We're coming off a 9-19 season, but we're ecstatic about some of the things we accomplished, especially after the loss of two of our most explosive players (Francine Miller and Pam Brown) in the second game last year.
"We hope to have everyone back healthy, and we look forward to the return of Francine. She is the hardest worker I have ever coached.
"We also hope to continue to make Anderson Arena a more difficult place to play. We did a great job of preparation last year, leading all eight home conference games at halftime. Now, we need to find a way to step up and win more of those games in the second half."
Fans can get their first look at the 2002-03 Falcons on Nov. 12, when BGSU hosts the Premier All-Stars in an exhibition game at Anderson. The Brown and Orange will begin the regular season with three home games, starting with a Nov. 22 contest vs. Youngstown State. The exhibition game and the YSU contest both are scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.
The complete MAC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll follows:
West Division 1. Ball State (29) 225 2. Western Michigan 173 3. Toledo 162 4. Northern Ill. (4) 152 5. Eastern Michigan 100 6. Bowling Green 73 7. Central Michigan 39East Division 1. Kent State (24) 189 2. Miami (9) 174 3. Marshall 106 4. Ohio 100 5. Buffalo 91 6. Akron 33
Tournament Winner Kent State 15 Ball State 11 Miami 7
first-place votes in parentheses
