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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Horizon League released the 2014-15 women's basketball Preseason Poll Wednesday afternoon, with the Cleveland State Vikings tabbed to finish third. This marks the third time over the last six seasons that the Vikings have been picked to finish in the top three on the league's preseason ballot.
Cleveland State picked up 182 points and two first place votes, finishing behind preseason favorite Green Bay (229 pts, 16 votes) and 2014 Tournament Champion Wright State (219 pts, 9 votes).
UIC (151) and Youngstown State (151) tied for fourth place in the preseason standings, while Oakland (105), Milwaukee (61), Valparaiso (60), and Detroit (57) rounded out the preseason poll.
The Vikings return nine letterwinners and four starters from last season's squad, including the senior trio of Imani Gordon, Cori Coleman, and Kiersten Green. CSU returns a large portion of its offense that recorded a program-best 2,255 points last season, and ranked second among league schools averaging 75.2 points per game.
Cleveland State leads the league in returning team points, team assists, team rebounds, and total minutes after losing just one letterwinner.
The returners will be joined by a talented group of five newcomers – freshmen Ashanti Abshaw, Allyssa Copley, Kayla Patterson, and Shadae Bosley, and sophomore transfer Alexis Eckles.
The Vikings will be led by head coach Kate Peterson Abiad, who will begin her 12th season at the helm of the program. Peterson Abiad, who is the all-time winningest coach in program history, has led Cleveland State to two Horizon League Tournament Titles (2008 & 2010) and two trips to the NCAA Tournament.
2014-15 Horizon League Preseason Poll
1. Green Bay....................... 229 (16)
2. Wright State................... 219 (9)
3. Cleveland State.............. 182 (2)
4. UIC................................. 151
4. Youngstown State.......... 151
6. Oakland.......................... 105
7. Milwaukee....................... 61
8. Valparaiso....................... 60
9. Detroit............................. 57
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Gordon And Coleman Pick Up Preseason All-League Honors
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Horizon League also released the 2014-15 women's basketball Preseason All-League Teams, with two Vikings earning preseason accolades. Imani Gordon was named to the Preseason All-League First Team, while Cori Coleman was named to the Preseason All-League Second Team.
Gordon picked up preseason honors for the first time in her career, and marked the seventh time out of the last eight years that a Viking has been named to the Preseason All-League First Team. The Akron, Ohio native led the Vikings averaging 16.6 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game last year, ranking eighth and third, respectively, among league players.
Gordon started all 30 games for the Vikings as junior, and enters the 2014-15 season ranked 18th on the Cleveland State Career Rebound list with 539 total boards. She grabbed 283 boards last season – a mark that ranks seventh on the CSU single-season record list.
Coleman earned a spot on the Horizon League Preseason Second Team for the second time in her career, also earning the accolade as a junior last season. Coleman became the 24th Viking to reach 1,000 career points after averaging 15.1 points per game last season, while she also tied a Cleveland State single-season record with 67 made three-pointers.
Entering the upcoming season, Coleman ranks 19th on the Cleveland State Career scoring list with 1,070 points, and fifth on the three-point field goal list with 152 made shots on her career. She has started 83 games throughout her career, including all 30 contests as a junior and sophomore.
Gordon and Coleman also earned preseason honors from College Sports Madness last month, as Gordon was named to the Horizon League Preseason First Team and Coleman earned a spot on the Horizon League Preseason Second Team.
2014-15 Preseason All-League First Team
Kim Demmings, Wright State, Sr. (Preseason Player of the Year)
Ruvanna Campbell, UIC, Jr.
Heidi Schlegel, Youngstown State, Sr.
Imani Gordon, Cleveland State, Sr.
Tay'ler Mingo, Wright State, Sr.
2014-15 Preseason All-League Second Team
Kaili Lukan, Green Bay, Jr.
Tesha Buck, Green Bay, So.
Cori Coleman, Cleveland State, Sr.
Elena Popkey, Oakland, Jr.
Ashley Green, Milwaukee, Sr.