Women’s Basketball Picked Third, Shumate Named Preseason All-MAC First Team
11/2/2023 10:14:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CLEVELAND – Redshirt senior Katie Shumate was named to the Preseason All-MAC First Team and Kent State finished third in the 2023-24 MAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Mid-American Conference announced on Thursday (Nov. 2).
The Golden Flashes totaled 102 points from the league's 12 head coaches. Toledo was unanimously selected (coaches are unable to vote for their own team) as the favorite to win the regular season title for the third year in a row. The Rockets received 10 votes to win the MAC Tournament with the other two going to Ball State.
A three-time All-MAC selection in her career, Shumate earned third-team honors last season. The versatile guard led Kent State in scoring (12.7 ppg), rebounding (7.1 rpg) and steals (35) while ranking second in blocks (22). Shumate enters her fifth season in a Flashes uniform at No. 16 on the all-time scoring list with 1,371 points and ranks in the top-10 in three-point field goals (134) and blocks (72).
Kent State returns four additional student-athletes — juniors Jenna Batsch and Bridget Dunn and sophomores Corynne Hauser and Tatiana Thomas — who averaged more than 10 minutes per game last season. Hauser was a MAC All-Freshman Team performer, averaging 8.9 points per game and team-best 3.0 assists per game.
The Flashes have played in the Postseason WNIT each of the past two seasons and are receiving preseason attention beyond the conference level with a No. 16 ranking in the Mid-Major Top 25 , which was released on Wednesday.
Kent State will host Muskingum for an exhibition contest at the M.A.C. Center on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. as final preparation for a trip to the Bayou to start the regular season. The Flashes will battle Louisiana as part of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge on Sunday, Nov. 12 and No. 1 LSU on Tuesday, Nov. 14.
Fans can order season tickets now at KSUTix.com for as low as $60 per seat.
2023-24 MAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Toledo - 121 points (11)
2. Ball State - 110 points (1)
3. Kent State - 102 points
4. Bowling Green - 77 points
5. Northern Illinois - 72 points
6. Akron - 69 points
7. Eastern Michigan - 66 points
8. Buffalo - 50 points
9. Ohio - 40 points
10. Western Michigan - 38 points
11. Central Michigan - 24 points
12. Miami - 23 points
MAC Tournament Champion: Toledo (10), Ball State (2)
Preseason All-MAC First Team
Reagan Bass, Akron
Ally Becki, Ball State
Chelby Koker, Northern Illinois
Quinesha Lockett, Toledo
Katie Shumate, Kent State
Preseason All-MAC Second Team
Lachelle Austin, Eastern Michigan
Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green
Nyla Hampton, Ball State
Sammi Mikonowicz, Toledo
Sophia Wiard, Toledo
