Kent State Women's Basketball Picked To Finish Fifth In MAC East
11/2/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Golden Flashes to begin the Danielle O'Banion era.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Kent State women's basketball team was tabbed to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference East Division according to the conference's preseason poll, which was released Tuesday (Oct. 31). The poll is voted on by conference head coaches, SIDs, and media members.
Head coach Danielle O'Banion takes over a Golden Flashes program that went just 6-21 last year after back-to-back 20-win seasons and WNIT appearances. Kent State placed fifth in the MAC East with a 5-11 mark and earned a No. 9 seed in the 2012 MAC Championship where it dropped a 58-40 quarterfinal contest at No. 8 seed Ohio.
The Flashes return four starters from last year's squad, highlighted by Honorable Mention All-MAC selection senior forward Diamon Beckford (Upper Darby, Pa.). Senior Trisha Krewson (Sandusky, Ohio), senior Tamzin Barroilhet (Sainte Maxime, France), and sophomore Jamie Hutcheson (Ancaster, Ontario) started a year ago in the backcourt.
Three other letterwinners return for Kent State, giving Coach O'Banion a veteran squad in her first season at the helm. The Flashes will also feature four newcomers to the roster for the 2012-13 season.
Miami was predicted to win the East Division. The RedHawks finished second in the division last season, three games behind Bowling Green. Toledo was picked to win the West Division after sharing the division title with Eastern Michigan a year ago. The Rockets were also picked to win the conference's tournament title and feature three preseason all-conference selections.
The 2013 First Energy MAC Women's Basketball Tournament will begin with first round action at campus sites on March 9. The remainder of the tournament moves to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland from March 13-16. The championship game is slated for March 16, with the winner earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Kent State has won the MAC Tournament three times, most recently in 2002.
Kent State opens the season Nov. 10 at Massachusetts in a 2 p.m. contest. The Flashes welcome Cincinnati to the M.A.C. Center for their home opener on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets, stop by the Athletic Ticket Office in the M.A.C. Center or call (330) 672-2244 for more information.
EAST DIVISION PRESEASON POLL
1. Miami
2. Bowling Green
3. Akron
4. Ohio
5. Kent State
6. Buffalo
WEST DIVISION PRESEASON POLL
1. Toledo
2. Central Michigan
3. Eastern Michigan
4. Northern Illinois
5. Western Michigan
6. Ball State
MAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPION – Toledo
EAST DIVISION PRESEASON ALL-MAC TEAM
Rachel Tecca, Akron
Alexis Rogers, Bowling Green
Chrissy Steffen, Bowling Green
Courtney Osborn, Miami
Kirsten Olowinski, Miami
WEST DIVISION PRESEASON ALL-MAC TEAM
Crystal Bradford, Central Michigan
Natachia Watkins, Eastern Michigan
Naama Shafir, Toledo
Andola Dortch, Toledo
Yolanda Richardson, Toledo
